An act of God

Classic insidious BBC bias from today's report on Mr. Hollande's inauguration.

And then in the afternoon the new president paid visits to memorials in Paris dedicated to two of his personal heroes: the late 19th-Century reformer Jules Ferry and the scientist Marie Curie.

Ferry is honoured for founding the Republican school system - though unkind souls have also pointed out that he was also a pillar of French colonialism.

Why is it unkind to mention the African colonies which are Ferry's great achievement and what, for that matter, is good about anticlerical education?

Then Hollande flew to Berlin to meet Mrs. Merkel and his plane was struck by lightning! Because of his plan to introduce homosexual marriage? Or because he is living in sin? Or some other reason or blind chance? 


It is not for us to seek to fathom the workings of an inscrutable providence, as F.E.Smith said when the judge asked him: 'Do you know why I am on this bench?'  But worth bearing in mind, I think.


I already miss Mr. Sarkozy.