Declaration of interest.
I've never met them but I like Victoria Coren and her brother Giles.
I liked their father Alan too. And I love Nigella Lawson.
Alan Coren, a brilliant humourist and former editor of Punch (which I enjoyed reading when I was a teenager), was a supporter of Forest for many years until he developed lung cancer.
After he was diagnosed he asked us to stop writing to him. I may have sent him one final note, expressing sincere sadness for his illness, but we removed him from our list, as requested.
A couple of years ago I invited Victoria – a professional gambler – to speak at a Forest/Free Society debate entitled 'Risk and the Pursuit of Happiness – Is smoking, drinking, gambling good for you?'.
She declined.
I wanted to invite Giles as well but I lacked the courage to ask. Given his powerfully expressed anti-smoking opinions it seemed like a red rag to a bull.
Also, I didn't want him to think we were taking the piss or being insensitive to the nature of his father's death.
Anyway, this is a roundabout way of drawing your attention to one of the best articles I have read in a long, long time.
If, like me, you have been following Nigella's recent travails, and if you read her first husband's extraordinary column in The Times when he was dying of throat cancer, it's a must read, full of empathy, insight and friendship:
A most treasured Diamond ... Nigella Lawson's first husband was a brilliant man who adored her and who led me astray (Observer)
It's a far cry from the comment said to have been made by an Irish broadcaster and reported here: Viewers' fury at Alan for Nigella 'bitch' quip (Irish Independent).
Having recently seen Philomena (lovely film, warmly recommended), I imagine there are some people in Ireland and elsewhere who think Philomena Lee was a "stupid bitch" as well.
Times change but some people remain exceedingly quick to judge others' behaviour.