After his holiday in California, Rishi Sunak dropped into the University of Cambridge yesterday, not, in his words, “as the prime minister, but as a Hindu”. He was visiting Morari Bapu, below, an Indian spiritual leader, during the nine-day Ram Katha recital he is currently conducting. At the event in Jesus College, Sunak received religious gifts and spoke about the importance of faith in his day-to-day life. “I am proud that a golden Ganesh sits gleefully on my desk at 10 Downing Street,” he said, adding, “faith gives me courage, strength and resilience to do the best that I can for our country.” He said he has been “overwhelmed by the love and support of the British people.”
But some Cambridge dons were not very supportive. Nicholas Guyatt, a history professor at the college where the event took place, took to Twitter to express his anger. “Fellows/students were given no notice that Rishi Sunak was going to appear,” he said. “The event was presented to us as wholly religious and apolitical; had we known he was coming, many of us would have protested the endless shameful actions of his wretched government.”
While Sunak is Britain’s first Hindu PM, Sir Keir Starmer will be the country’s first openly atheist PM if he is elected next year. When he swore allegiance to the new King last September, Starmer chose a form of words avoiding any reference to God.
Critics ‘misrepresented’ on Jordan Peterson’s blurb
Jordan Peterson, the most famous psychologist since Sigmund Freud, regularly sparks debate and divides opinion. But not according to his UK publisher. Penguin has plastered his latest paperback with sparkling reviews and some of the critics who are quoted question how accurately their words have been arranged. James Marriott of The Times noted the “incredible work from Jordan Peterson’s publisher” in turning his review — “the most negative thing I have ever written” — into praise for “a philosophy of the meaning of life”. In the review Marriott described “a philosophy of the meaning of life that is bonkers”. Johanna Thomas-Corr, literary editor of the Sunday Times, also quoted, called it “a gross misrepresentation” of her review and said Penguin should rethink the blurb. In fairness, publishers often quote selectively to give the best impression. This time they were caught out. “I feel bad for whichever hapless intern was responsible,” said Marriott.
Self Esteem is vindicated after drama school rejections
Musician Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known by her stage name, Self Esteem was once “desperate to get into drama school to become a musical theatre actress.” Now, 18 years on, she will play Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. She revelled in her glory on Twitter: “Keep thinking about how it cost a fortune to audition for drama schools and my dad would have to drive me down to London and how shite it felt to be told no over and over,” she wrote. Self Esteem follows in the footsteps of actors Maude Apatow and Aimee Lou Wood to star in, according to her, “the greatest production” on the west end. Late but worth the wait.
