I’m 54, from Wigan, but “escaped” to Sheffield university to study geology. After graduating I moved briefly to London then in the mid-80s went to work in Libya. Libya was a difficult place to live – essentially a police state, with lots of military and secret police and not many foodstuffs available. I was arrested twice for spying (for taking innocent photos) and spent my 25th birthday being bombed by the Americans (we lived next to a military base).
After this, I was transferred to Cairo for a year, then spent 18 months or so travelling the world. Highlights included working in a gold mine in the outback (being the only pom in the town, I was ribbed mercilessly) as well as taking the Trans-Siberian railway through Soviet Russia, staying with the black market kids in Moscow and experiencing coming back to the west via East Berlin (quite a surreal experience) about a year before the whole communist edifice collapsed for good. So, you could say that I do like a bit of adventure in my life.
Now I work for a digital marketing agency called Ergo Digital, based in Aldermaston and live in Brixton with my girlfriend Tara. Tara works for Macmillan Cancer Support, which is where we met. I’m divorced and I have two daughters aged 20 and 22. One is studying music and the other works as a model. Four years ago I spent a couple of years renovating a house on the Isle of Skye. That was quite an adventure, particularly the winter weather. I now rent it out as a holiday cottage.
Hobbies-wise, I enjoy climbing (which took me to Skye), walking, photography, classic cars, music and world politics.
I’ve been reading the Guardian since I was a student, as it was the only left-leaning paper with any credibility. I used to read the airmail version in Libya (it was collated with other newspapers, I seem to remember). I first started reading it as it was the only left-leaning paper with any credibility. I subscribed to the weekend editions of the Guardian and Observer. I loved the Guide.
As I’ve got older, strangely, I seem to have become more leftwing rather than less, so the Guardian still chimes. The Guardian often goes behind the story to give a more in-depth analysis of what’s going on. That said, as someone with an interest in world politics I don’t think you have anyone of the stature of (IMHO) Patrick Cockburn. Owen Jones is a bit “right on” I find, and Simon Jenkins does say some peculiar things.
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