A weekly chronicle of the absurdities caused by the Government's privatisation programme

How do you follow feisty Odone? Andrew Brown on The Catholic Herald's new editor

Lord Hollick, chief executive of United News & Media has decreed an "open-plan" office on the eighth floor of United's Blackfriars headquarters, although the Labour peer has kept a private office for himself.

A futuristic scheme to build a series of road tunnels deep underneath London to take traffic off the surface has been given government backing for a feasibility study.

A competition to design a habitable "Londoners' bridge", alive with housing and commerce, was launched yesterday by John Gummer, Secretary of State for the Environment.

Andrew Brown asks if Balliol College should accept a tainted professors hip

CHRISTIAN WOLMAR

Securum, the asset management group set up by the Swedish government to handle the bad debts of failed lender Nordbanken, has made another high-profile disposal.

CITY DIARY

English Settlement by D. J. Taylor Chatto, pounds 17.99; Strap to coem ino this psca heryeStrap to coem inStrap to coem ino this psca heryeStrap to coem in

Mini hot dogs, 'Boom Shake the Room' and the Princess of Wales: just three essential party ingredients from the people who know. By Julie Aschkenasy

COWBOYS are sensitive souls. When they are not herding up or moving on the cattle, they are gazing at the sky writing poetry.

Will Alsop is passionate about the Thames, and it shows in his proposal to bridge the river with the Institute of Contemporary Art, writes Mel Gooding

Today's the day we print our first list of fine Les Routiers restaurants where you can use your Club Bon Viveur card, which was in the Magazine on Saturday, to ensure that one of your party will get a FREE meal.