As recently as 29 November, a senior DCMS civil servant was able to write to me: 'While you and others have tried valiantly to raise the public profile of the issues that concern you, I am afraid that there has been very little public response to the media coverage so far as Departmental correspondence is concerned.'

We have quite a lot to complain about x 3. Until we all start to do just that, we well deserve to be the butt of silly jokes.

Martin Carthy "Musicians have a tough enough time without a prat like that".

Graham you are of course welcome to your opinion. I tend to think that you are missing the point. Dr Howells is a professional and will expect to have to deal with the results of his public 'gaffs'. It is nothing personal at all. It is just trying to get the maximum attention to the problem, so that he indeed does do his job.

Which is to get these long needed reforms through and not just to agree the law is "silly" and do nothing. If you think this is him doing his job well, you are again welcome to your opinion, many do not share it.