Home Blogs & Views Birmingham Mail Columnists Maureen Messent

Floods are not the wrath of God

THEY stand beside piles of ruined furniture in their flooded gardens. They point out tide marks on walls to explain how high raged the torrents that have wrecked their homes. Read

Charlie's innocent nicotine fix

THE affable and laid back Charles Kennedy, former Lib Dem leader and now sober alcoholic, opened a train window to smoke a cigarette. Read

Big E for men about the house

I DISLIKE the notion of house-husbands. Any bloke that'd become a Mary Ann for his higher-earning wife is a wimp in my book. Read

Sex change con's cheeky law case

BURGLAR and transsexual Clive Watson, aged 39, says his human rights are being violated by the refusal of HMP Dovegate, Staffordshire, to allow him out for sex change treatment. Read

Face it, Charles - Diana hasn't gone away yet

THE crowd turned up at Wembley, the music was great - if you like that sort of thing - and what would have been Diana's 46th birthday was celebrated with gusto and affection. Read

Killing fields left their mark

THIS newspaper sent me to Somalia in the early 90s where, for 10 days, I reported on famine deaths. Read

Needy, vulgar, desperate 'Girls'

I'M PUZZLED that the Spice Girls are reuniting for a tour to prove, as they say, that girl power still matters. Read

PM can't be scared to tell the truth

HERE we go again... Read

A decent man hounded out by his own people

BRITAIN'S first Muslim MP, Mohammed Sarwar, has resigned his Glasgow Govan seat after threats received by him and his family for bringing a trio of Pakistani murderers to book. Read

Cash in hand confession

IT WAS an offer to test a saint. Read

Don't blow it again, Wills...

WELL, I did tell you that William would get back with the captivating Kate, didn't I? Read

Go to the bottom of the class

THE most boring characters in our islands are the malcontents who beat paths to the High Court in the course of their battles with schools which lay down dress and jewellery codes of wear. Read

This poor child deserves better

A GIRL aged 10 has that beautiful, almost transparent skin that is childhood's fleeting bloom. Read

A tale of two premiers

MARGARET Thatcher, now far into her dotage, was mobbed by ex-servicemen who'd fought in the Falklands War. Read

Refreshing taste of good old music hall schmaltz

NEVER underestimate our weakness for the banal and the kitsch. Read

Sheer hypocrisy of Rushdie gong protest

I LAUGHED aloud at Pakistan's protests at the knighthood awarded to author Salman Rushdie. Read

Vigilante injustice

THIS week has thrown up the definitive reason why the addresses of paedophiles must never be released to the public. Read

A lesson in humility

THAT Channel 4 programme that DIDN'T quite show close-up pictures of Diana in her last moments would have passed virtually unnoticed if Princes William and Harry hadn't made a pig's ear over it. Read

Earners can afford surgery fees

SHOCK! HORROR! Some doctors are to ask patients to pay up to £20 for evening, and possibly early-morning, visits to surgeries. Read

Estate was ruined by residents

I'M INTRIGUED by that litany of complaints at unacceptable conditions on a Shard End council estate, revealed in this newspaper this week. Read