Michael Clifford (Opinion, Nov 4) expounds freely (and accurately) on the debilitating legacy that haunts the ‘bould Bertie, long after his deserved demise in a whirlpool of shame.

This week's book reviews in brief

ALISTAIR CAMPBELL, media chief to former prime minister Tony Blair, told the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics that the country’s newspapers were “putrid” and that a member of Blair’s inner circle had her phone hacked.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain is the latest name to be added to the phone hacking scandal.

WE had our quality introduction sitting in the back pocket for this one — the clash of sprezzatura and catenaccio, Tipp’s style and brio versus Waterford’s dogged intransigence.

ALISTAIR CAMPBELL, in person, is taller, funnier and infinitely more charming than he is in print.

HAVE you encountered the latest social phenomenon? The Celtic Cubs are voting with their feet. They’ve heard all the propaganda about recovery and positivity. Their real choice is Canada, Australia or Britain. Emigration parties are now commonplace as well wishers offer their best for a bright new future.

POLITICAL and other spin doctors know how to manage a crisis. The critical factor is to hang on. They believe virtually all news media cycles are “nine-day wonders”.

She made herself sound like someone going for a middle management post in a manufacturing plant, rather than the aspirant leader of the United States of America.

Ken Livingstone today welcomed support he has received from former adversaries Tony Blair and Alistair Campbell in his fight to retain the London mayoralty.

Charlie Mulqueen talks to rugby legend Gerald Davies about the principles of rugby, touring and being next year’s Lions manager.

ANYONE who has read Alistair Campbell’s eponymous account of the Blair years knows Tony Blair is already in the running for sainthood, if only for his unremitting kindness to and patience with Campbell and the other infighting inadequates who surrounded him during his leadership of New Labour.

WE thought Ireland’s World Cup odyssey couldn’t get any worse; that the nightmare against Namibia was just a blip, but it did get worse on Saturday as Ireland struggled to put a third-tier nation to the sword.

FORMER Irish coach Warren Gatland believes Ireland’s back-row could run into trouble when they meet the All Blacks in Hamilton on Saturday.

Pop star Robbie Williams and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today unveiled their line-ups for Soccer Aid.

I congratulate your correspondent Liam Mackey last weekend for asking the most pertinent question possible about Roy Keane: why the shock?

It wasn’t all media spin, doom and gloom with the Lions in New Zealand. Hector Ó hEochagáin and Apres Match regular Risteard Cooper followed the tour for six weeks in New Zealand, and have produced a special ‘Chasing the Lions’ DVD. Brendan O’Brien gets a sneak preview.

THE Lions tour ground to its inevitable conclusion in Auckland on Saturday. Ever since the opening test two weeks ago, it was impossible to visualise anything but a 3-0 series victory to the All Blacks.

STEVE HANSEN believes Six Nations Grand Slam winners Wales will pose a greater challenge to his All Blacks this autumn than the British & Irish Lions have managed in the past six weeks.

IF MENDING fences was Clive Woodward's plan, he used the wrong hammer.

THE INJURY to British & Irish Lions pack leader Lawrence Dallaglio has not just had an impact on Clive Woodward’s touring party - it has become a source of friction among the London press pack.

Lawrence Dallaglio has warned the Lions they must be ready to “take on a whole nation” when they head to New Zealand in the summer.

Journalist Andrew Gilligan launched an wide-ranging attack on the BBC governors today over their handling of the Dr David Kelly affair.

COMIC Dylan Moran and British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alistair Campbell are set to be the star attractions at this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast.

It’s bad enough having to fight, in these pages, with Fergus Finlay, but being forced to take on Noel Whelan, as well, is really tough.

THE battle of the chat-shows might be over but a new war of words has broken out between TV3 and RTÉ over the reason behind the decision to scrap its flagship programme hosted by Eamon Dunphy.

Stars of hotly-tipped movie Calendar Girls dressed up for a date – after famously stripping for their movie role.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair must apologise for the attempt to smear Iraq mole Dr David Kelly, Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said today.

BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan was today accused of changing his story about Alistair Campbell's involvement in drawing up a British government dossier on Iraq by MPs.

The British Government was not being ‘‘wishy-washy’’ over its missile defence policy, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon insisted today.