Jo Grimond
Best books: The 2024 Report: A Concise History of the Future by Norman Macrae. Even those who grow choleric over Futur- ology, among whom I count myself, should see if they can stomach this book. I swallowed it and indeed wallowed in it with unexpected pleasure. It is a tour de force, a jeu d'esprit and just possibly a ballon d'essai. Optimistic and, like its author, full of quirks, it would be an admirable anti- dote to stodgy plum pudding.
Capital of Happiness: Lord Grey of Fallodon and the Charm of Birds by Jan Karpinski. If this book does not set off a Grey-Karpinski boom, I shall be surprised. Birds are already popular, and Grey de- serves to be. I would rather have created the ponds and their bird-life at Fallodon than acquired all the pictures and villas which are the prestigious trappings of millionaires. And when we come to die, who better to share one's last lunches with than red squirrels scampering soot- besmirched down the chimney?
I have always refused to nominate candi- dates for the worst book of the year prize on the grounds that, as no one is compelled to read through bad books, why indulge in masochism for the sake of reviewing them? But I am compelled to read Government bills and the resultant statutes. Their draft- ing is bad beyond belief. Take this, a typical example, by no means the worst available: 'Any determination in relation to remuneration in respect of services under Part H of the National Health Service Act 1977 or Part II of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 which was made before the passing of this Act or after it but at a time before the coming into force of a provision inserted by this section shall be deemed to be validly made if regulations authorising such determination could have been made had that provision been in force at the time.'
Current and past Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, judges, solicitors and laymen have protested about the vile habit of legislation by reference. All in vain. It almost converts me to the virtues of vio- lence. Not until a parliamentary draftsman is hanged in public will we shake their abominable complacency and incompe- tence.
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