Keir Starmer influenced by Sue Gray

In a surprising revelation, it has been suggested that Sue Gray, a prominent figure in the Cabinet Office, is the true leader behind the scenes, with implications that foreign powers may have been misdirected in their surveillance efforts. This commentary highlights the often-overlooked influence of civil servants in shaping government policy and decision-making. At the Edinburgh Festival, actress Miriam Margolyes stirred controversy by discussing her childhood perceptions of Charles Dickens's character Fagin, whom she described as "Jewish and vile." Her remarks, made during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Kirsty Wark, reflect a broader conversation about cultural representations and the evolution of societal attitudes towards Jewish identity. As the funeral of Lord Fellowes, the late private secretary to the Queen, approaches, opinions remain split on Lucian Freud's portrait of Her Majesty. While some praise the artwork as a significant achievement, others mockingly compare it to a corgi in a wig. The Queen's personal fondness for the portrait, which she chose to keep privately, underscores the complex relationship between art and royal representation. In lighter news, Meghan Markle's claims of potential honorary citizenship in Colombia and Malta have sparked curiosity, while Petronella Wyatt's account of a lunch with a wealthy octogenarian seeking a "purely sexual relationship" adds a touch of scandal, revealing the eccentricities of high society.