'When I look in the mirror, I see someone who's caught up with his age'

Samantha Brick tells The Independent’s Liam O'Brien all about the Daily Mail article that caused a Twitter storm yesterday. Here is a transcript of part of their conversation.

Never, in all the years of Paul Dacre's editorship, has the journalism of the Daily Mail come under such sustained public attack. Again and again the editor-in-chief sighed in exasperation as Robert Jay QC, counsel to the Leveson Inquiry, questioned the working methods of the paper Mr Dacre has overseen for two decades.

My husband claims that it was I who coined the line about Stephen Fry that he is "a stupid person's idea of a clever person". And if I weren't a sober person's idea of a booze-addled person, I might be more useful in remembering whether this is true or not. Whatever, it's pretty damn good.

The chairwoman of the press watchdog today hit back at claims that the organisation is "toothless".

It was the news which no one had been waiting for. Last week, Ricky Martin finally revealed that all those years he had been "Livin' la Vida Loca", he'd also been livin' la vida lie. Yes, the Latin pop star responsible for the unfortunately-titled "She Bangs" declared via his website that he was, in fact, "a fortunate homosexual". If coming out is a momentous step in any gay man's life, then the response to Martin's has been decidedly less momentous. Reactions have ranged from blank indifference to benign amusement at a "revelation" that has been considered an open secret in gossip circles for years.

Eight days ago a cavalcade of motorbikes trundled through the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett in aid of charity. They were raising money for Afghan Heroes, which helps service personnel in Afghanistan and bereaved families in Britain.

It's like they've never been away. Which, given the continuing existence of Westlife, they arguably haven't.

David Cameron is in some difficulty. The Tories are worried about their shrinking opinion poll lead. Maybe a hung Parliament beckons. Maybe even worse. Who can say?

The Press Complaints Commission should be applauded, in spite of the criticism heaped on it yesterday, for not upholding a complaint about a notorious Daily Mail article criticising the lifestyle of the pop singer Stephen Gately.