'As the Torygraph sinks slowly in the west, we say farewell to journalism..........'

I find these days that I am reading less and less of the Torygraph. The same is true of the Sunday Times; I generally get to around page 22 before I start reading. Most of the DT is worthless. I persevere because of a handful of outstanding columnists.

The best is Jeff Randall, but he only does one column a month. His TV business programme is a ‘must view’.

His partner as the ‘Essex Two’, Heffer gets it right about one in three times. His piece on the alternative voting system was absolutely spot-on. Well, I would say that because he reprises my own views on this which I set out here when the idea first came up, which was not on the publication of the Tory Election Manifesto because Dave didn’t mention it – or that there would be a referendum.

I don’t read him when he bangs-on about education. When he keeps campaigning for the rehabilitation of the grammar schools he is farting against thunder. It is just not going to happen. But he is right about universities; there are too many of them and too many are not only surplus to requirements but totally useless.

Janet Daley is never short of brilliant. Mary Riddell is as out of place as a pork chop in a synagogue. The women columnists are largely a waste of space. There is even a ‘celebs’ section.

Lord Fartwell must be revolving in his grave.