The Daily Novel

Been thinking about the importance of following up stories, which is one of the things which I believe is very important in journalism. So here goes.

I am still surrounded by books in cardboard boxes, which I have to climb over even to get to the cupboard by the side of the piano which has files containing my bills, and inland revenue files, which I have to start looking at soon, because this is the time of year I have to do my tax return.

Negotiations with the insurance company and Camden Council proceeded satisfactorily but at a snail’s pace. The damp wall has been dried out and replastered and the decorartor was due to come back yesterday and finish off. But since it has been raining pretty well every day he could not come because the plaster has not yet dried out.

The importance of follow up stories I learnt not from journalism text books or newspaper editors, but from readers. Notably from Charles Jones, a Church of England vicar and lifelong reader of The Times.

It was his main criticism of the Rees-Mogg Times of the 1960s. Charles, because he was a fair-minded man and shrewd critic, would have applauded the Times present Religion correspondent, Ruth Gledhill, because she is very good at following up her stories, as well as breaking new ones. Even if she has to stay up half the night in order to write them, in the paper and on her blog.

But if he had read Ruth’s latest scoop, he would have been so blazingly angry that he would have been quite unable to speak. Ruth reports the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams as saying that the only thing that stops him becoming a Roman Catholic is the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.

Once he had cooled down, he would have laid the paper down on the table, and said to whoever was in the room, ‘What utter nonsense. The man has taken leave of his senses.’ With sadness, because Charles, no relation to me, was a real Celtic Jones, and would have been delighted to have a Welshman in Lambeth Palace and would have liked some of Williams’ views. Particularly that he does not share the evangelising fervour of Archbishop Carey.

Now I realise there is something serious to say on this subject. Today’s ’sermon’ was going to be a short ight-hearted story ready for the morning service.

The longer piece won’t be ready til Evensong. Ah well, that was always my favourite service, because it provided the opportunity of taking one of the girls on a walk over Bushbury Hill afterwards.