Today’s birthdays

Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Armitage, Commandant, Royal College of Defence Studies, 1988-89, is 91; Sir Crispin Tickell,

former diplomat; Warden of Green College, Oxford, 1990-97, 91; Sir Malcolm Field, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority, 1996-2001, 84; Mr Frederick Forsyth, author, 83; Dr Sir Colin Lucas, Vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, 1997-2004, 81; Mr Howard Jacobson,

novelist and critic; winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize, 79; Sir Andrew Longmore, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, 77; Mr David Briggs, who retires today as Lord-lieutenant for Cheshire, 75; Sir Michael Birt, QC, Bailiff of Jersey, 2009-15, 73; Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing, 2001-06, 73; Mr Martin Amis, author, 72; Ms Ann Abraham, The Ombudsman, 2002-12, 69; Sir Lloyd Dorfman,

Chairman, The Prince’s Trust International; Chairman, The Prince’s Trust, 2015-19, 69; and Lord Wallace of Tankerness, QC, Advocate General for Scotland, 2010-15; Leader, Scottish Liberal Democrats, 1992-2005, 67.

Today is the anniversary of the first cross-channel swim without the use of artificial aids by Capt Matthew Webb in 1875, in 21 hours and 45 mins. It is also the anniversary of the liberation of Paris in 1944.