TAL’s star turn on the rocky road to reporting freedom

THE star of this year’s Thame Arts and Literature Festival, attracting an audience of around 280 people, was undoubtedly the BBC’s Political Editor, Nick Robinson, who, with gentle satire and an obvious talent for story-telling, intrigued and entertained the audience with his stories of the centuries-old battle between those who govern and those who seek to report what the governing classes do.

From the 17th century Parliamentarian, Richard Onslow (He whose name is but one from the English civil war whose name is attached to a road name in Thame), through the 14-day rule, whereby the BBC agreed not to broadcast discussions on subjects due to be debated in Parliament within the next fortnight (suspended only after the famous Panorama programme that covered the Suez crisis), through to the present debacle between journalists and the government as a result of the Levenson Report; so we were steered. (A continuing tension even today between local news reporters and local councils!)

The sometimes uneasy relationship between politicians and broadcasters was illustrated by Nick’s anecdotes of late night phone calls to the BBC from the likes of Peter Mandelson, and the sometimes fiery reaction to Nick’s political reporting from Gordon Brown. All told with a wicked twinkle in those familiar, magnified eyes behind the dark-rimmed spectacles, and a combination of obvious pride in the great institution he represents and an appreciation nevertheless of the humanity of most politicians.

The queue to buy Nick Robinson’s newly published paperback, ‘Live from Downing Street’, and to have it signed by the man himself, stretched around the room at the Spread Eagle Hotel, but even so, he signed each one with patience and care, taking time to chat at the same time.

No doubt Nick’s visits to Thame, where his Mother-In-Law lives, will be less private than previously as he will increasingly be recognised after his memorable performance at the Arts & Literature Festival. But, for most of us there, from now on when we see him standing infront of that famous door in Downing Street on our TV screens, we will perhaps appreciate a little more than before, the incredible tightrope that his like bravely walk, to bring  balanced and relevant political analysis into our living rooms.