It is inappropriate to comment, one way or the other, when someone is arrested (though newspapers appear to do it all the time). However, I feel compelled to say something about the arrest of Janet Street-Porter, who has been accused of racially abusing a neighbour. I was amazed when I heard the news on radio yesterday morning because it just seems so out of kilter with all that I know about her.
I am anything but a friend of hers. I was very critical of her throughout her ill-fated editorship of the Independent on Sunday and also during her doomed launch of L!ve TV. But I have never forgotten a BBC executive, who was also no fan of Street-Porter's, saying that she was the most colour-blind person she had ever known. She appointed people based on what she thought of their talent irrespective of colour or ethnicity.
As I say, we know no details about the incident that led to her arrest and I've no wish to impugn the person who has made the allegations. I simply feel it needs to be said that Street-Porter has never previously, in her career and personal life, given any hint of having a racist bone in her body. And I see that in his Sun column today Kelvin MacKenzie - who describes himself as Street-Porter's "worst enemy" - agrees.
