Feeling the force, reaching the summit and talking trees
BY THE end of this week, there will be just seven days left until Christmas Day, a sobering thought but also one to embrace, if only because it affords the possibility of a cessation, however brief, in the topsy-turvy world of politics (well, we can hope at least).
The week will begin harmlessly enough with the Golden Globe nominations today. It will be the 75th iteration of said awards, which are in no way linked to the Oscars, which in recent years have become a specialist in courting controversy. The Globes are awarded by 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for films and television, while the Oscars are given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, made up of actors, directors, cinematographers and other moviemakers, for recognising excellence in film. AS WE tread tentatively into the week, still cautious of encountering more serious news, the fond whiff of whimsy will still be wafting gaily on the wind, to wit: as The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the European premiere of the eighth film in the long-running saga of the same name and the second of the official rebooted films of the franchise, which was bought from creator George Lucas for $4bn by Disney several years ago. Although deemed expensive, it was cited by more than one commentator as the ‘deal of the century’ and Disney has already made $2bn on
and $1bn from so could break even with the latest film, especially as it looks set to have Royal approval.
BY MIDWEEK, however, the cloying mud of politics will be well and truly tugging at our galoshes as we prepare to embrace Prime Minister’s Questions, which could be a fraught affair, given they will be taking place on the eve of what is arguably the most important summit of EU leaders since the European Economic Community came into being way back in 1957 and certainly since Britain joined in 1973.
Expect grandstanding, gloating and gesticulating from the politicians and panic and punditry from the press. The Office for National Statistics will publish the latest unemployment figures on the same day and, assuming they are favourable, as they are expected to be, it will at least give our embattled Prime Minister Theresa May another toehold, however miniscule, to cling to the cliff face she appears to be in the process of struggling to climb.
HAVING GIVEN in to the fact it is impossible to avoid the cutting wind of politics, the back end of the week will be a fairly chilly affair, never mind the weather. Parts of Scotland and the North may or may not be covered in snow and ice but the real chill will be emanating from Brussels, as EU member states meet to discuss what has been billed as ‘the deadline of deadlines’ over Britain’s planned withdrawal from the EU. If only Shakespeare were alive today...
BUT YOU can breathe a sigh of relief as we clear Friday and head towards the sun-warmed slopes of the weekend because Dame Judi Dench will be in abundance ahead of the broadcast of a film, which will be airing on the BBC on December 20, although she will be talking it up a little before that… and it’s not just her talking, apparently, it’s the trees as well. While Prince Charles was once derided for admitting he talks to his plants there is now solid scientific evidence that trees (and possibly other plants too) do in fact ‘talk’ to one another, by releasing chemicals to warn of common threats.