Covid 19 and the Bus and Coach Industry by Glynne Stewart Pegg  North Riding Classic Bus. £14.99 ISBN 978-183841687-4 This book covers the effect of Covid 19 on the Bus and Coach industry from 2020 to 2023. It is “profusely illustrated” (as they used to say) and this makes it a valuable document of a time which already seems to be vanishing from our collective memory. Photos showing hand sanitizer bottles on buses, signs saying “keep your distance” and warnings not to talk to the masked driver already look like stills from a science fiction movie. Glynne Stewart Pegg was an economist, industry historian and part time bus and coach driver throughout lockdown. Ironically, he had been due to make a work visit to bus manufacturers in Wuhan in January 2020 but was advised to delay his journey as the first news of Covid was acknowledged. The first UK death from Covid was announced in March 2020, and this was quickly followed by full lockdown. Pegg wrote the first edition of the bo...

Boris Johnson used to joke that he admired the Mayor in Jaws because – a few people may have been killed – but at least he kept the beaches open. But the Covid enquiry reminds us that he’s closer to Dracula. In the Bram Stoker’s novel., newly qualified solicitor Jonathan Harker is sent to Castle Dracula by his employer Peter Hawkins, who has been buying a London property on Dracula’s behalf. Hawkins claims in his letter of introduction that an attack of gout prevents him from travelling but Dracula is already aware of the substitution (“I bid you welcome, Mr Harker,” he says) and Harker already suspects that the muffled coach driver who brought him to the castle might have been Dracula in disguise. Hawkins’ letter ominously introduces Harker as “full of energy…very faithful.” In  a Westminster context Hawkins appears to be throwing Harker under the bus.  The unofficial silent film Nosferatu merges the characters of Hawkins and Renfield making it clear that Harker’s employer wa...

  Just over a week since everyone was getting nostalgic about the first day of lockdown in March 2020 and now the Prime Minister has come out and said we've "had enough day's off working at home," and should "make a stab at going back to the office."  I was pleased to see the Prime Minister's statement because last May there were reports that Johnson had asked his advisors to come up with a catchy slogan to "send the fearful back to work." I'd started to worry that even the fabled nudge unit had been defeated this time, but just in time here they are with, " You've had enough time off at home, now get back to the office!" Of course, there have been changing attitudes to the office over the years in HM Revenue and Customs. In Customs and Excise the first VAT compliance officers were supposed to be out visiting all week and only expected in the office on Friday to hand-write their reports, draft letters for the typists and hit t...