Suicide watch

Tom Utley, a Forest award winner in, I think, 2004, had THIS to say in his op-ed piece in Friday's Daily Mail.

I should add that Tom is notoriously pessimistic on many subjects, including smoking. Earlier this year he attended one of the private dinners that Forest hosts as part of our political and media lobbying work. We outlined our future plans, including the launch of The Free Society, and invited him to comment.

Within five minutes I wanted to slit my wrists. Former MSP Brian Monteith, who had just given a rousing sermon in support of TFS, felt the same. I hope we can give Tom something to be less gloomy about in future, but (in order to preserve our sanity) we won't be asking him back for a while!