I know all football eyes are on the Premier League title race, but some 40,000 of us are very happy that despite a massive 18 point deduction, Reading are almost certainly staying in League 1 next season, having played well enough to win enough points to beat relegation. Yay!

The Pope came out against surrogacy last week and I can see many problems if it is a commercial enterprise based on convenience, but for those who are physically unable to bear a child, it can be a very loving act by a relative or friend to do so.
bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…

I often get less than complimentary remarks for stances I take (eg on faith schools or assisted dying), but being given the title “royal rabbi” by The Times yesterday was a nice surprise, even if as undeserved as those other descriptions
thetimes.co.uk/article/prince…

Following the Cass report on the trans issue, perhaps we can now have a more nuanced discussion not the “right or wrong” debate before: accepting fully adults who have indeed been trapped in the wrong body, but not rushing to give medication/surgery to those under age & uncertain

Best advice of the day: if angry about something, write it down and then bin it. It helps get rid of the anger and saves it eating you up & poisoning your day. I’d only add: but if there’s a genuine problem, then don’t bin it, find ways of solving it. thetimes.co.uk/article/angry-…

Feel sorry for Everton fans (speaking as a Reading one who’ve also had point deducted because those running the club mismanaged its affairs). It’s their salaries, but our team and our soul. When we support the club week in, week out, we feel badly let down by financial own goals

Had the first ever open meeting in Maidenhead on Sunday on assisted dying; good attendance and discussion, virtually everyone in favour. General view was: once it’s legalised, we’ll look back and ask “Why did it take so long?. What a shame so many had to die in pain beforehand”.

It’s 6 months from the start of the Israel/Gaza conflict. So many personal tragedies on both sides, but Hamas successfully stopped the peace process that was inching forward between Israel & other Arab states before October 7th. In that respect Hamas has won & humanity has lost.

Had a feisty debate last night with Chris Hoyle of the Council for British Arab Understanding on Times Radio (Henry Bonsu programme) about Alan Duncan who criticised some MPs for supporting a foreign state, Israel - yet both men are members of CABU, a foreign power lobby group!!

Congratulations to Police Scotland on stating they won’t prosecute JKRowling for her comments, and also to her for testing what the Hate Crime Act means. There is no right not to be offended on whatever topic. The price of being upset is worth the valuable bonus of free speech.

Whether Scotland’s complex new hate Crime Act (in force today) is workable or not, what’s worrying is that it’s needed and the increasingly levels of hate in all directions. Whatever happened to “Love your neighbour as yourself”? Are we losing moral sensibility as faith declines?

London theatres are showing both “Merchant of Venice” (set in 1936 & Mosley’s fascist blackshirts) & “Cable Street” (on the “battle” back then): coincidence or a feeling that we today are back in a time of political uncertainty, antisemitism, populist demagogues & financial woes?

Outrageous that the Post Office took sub-postmasters to court KNOWING Horizon was at fault. It’s not the Post Office (i.e. taxpayers) that should be fined, but the senior executives. Those personally responsible should be the ones to pay the penalty. thetimes.co.uk/article/post-o…

“So what’s going on with you lot?”, he asked me, referring to the proposed emergence of a new Jewish movement if Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism link up - which would be a massive shift in the map of British Jewry: thejc.com/lets-talk/why-…

I was lucky to be on with 3 great contributors at 8pm last night. On the question of the person who paid £567,000 for the Titanic door frame that kept Kate Winslet's character, Rose, afloat, it would be great if the money should go to RNLI - which is largely funded by the public

I normally wear a white shirt and tie when taking services, but as it was Purim (sort of Jewish Mardi Gras) I dug up what I wore a few decades ago. Here’s looking at you, kid.

Did the News Review today for BBC #InSpirit with #JumokeFashola this morning on Kate’s cancer & how others react to their own cancer, what having the 1st black First Minister of Wales says about the UK, and also the new England strip. It’s at bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0…  (from 0746)

Princess of Wales cancer: this puts “that photo” in a new light - not so much a desire to deceive, but a deeply felt personal wish for how her story might turn out in view of her treatment…a hope for the future where she will be happily surrounded by her family in good health.

All credit to Flick Drummond MP on his Children Not In School bill requiring local authorities to register all children who are educated outside the school system. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Muslims and Christians opposing it are doing both their own children & society a dis-service.

I have not changed faith, but I was described as being “very Christian” – but as it was supposed to be a compliment, I decided not to argue the point. See “Faith in human nature” – 3rd item in the below: thetimes.co.uk/article/theatr…