.....and, as I remarked to Diane in a private e-mail, a great figure from the Morning Star of the 1970s assured me, when I was leaving the Press Association for the DT that he saw no shame in working for such a paper provided you maintained your own integrity.

I leave others to judge whether I - emphatically not a Tory - succeeded in that, as a news reporter, news editor, mentor to young recruits, foreign correspondent and, yes, folk critic. I worked there for 29 years, so some would say I'm bound to be biased; they sacked me in moderately controversial circumstances, so others would assume me to be prejudiced.

Yet the fact is that I was only one of many news reporters who, along with specialists and sub-editors and others (forget the Right-wing comment gang), tried to report the news fairly - and probably did so, in the DT's better days, more often than most parts of the British press.

And more importantly, I also wish Eliza - people who know her better than most of us have long shortened it to Liza - a healthy delivery and strong recovery from her present condition.

Colin Randall

Salut! Live