Five Essential Podcasts (FAO @charlottegore).

I have become something of a podcast addict. These are the five I cannot live without:

• BBC Friday Night Comedy Podcast - alternates between The News Quiz and The Now Show, both of which are awesome.


• The Pod Delusion - difficult to categorise, but always interesting. Has features on science and politics and other geeky things. Also has regular guest spots from Alex Foster, whose voice makes me do Vic Reeves thigh-rubbing.


• Dirty Whoers - the best Doctor Who podcast by a country mile. Slightly sweary, utterly irreverent, and now featuring Brian Blessed.


• BBC Gardener's Question Time - Bob Flowerdew is awesome. That is all.


• The Guardian Science Weekly - does exactly what it says on the tin.

Theresa May and the Equalities Brief

Theresa May being in charge of equalities is being seen as an outrage akin to Ruth "Opus Dei" Kelly being in charge of communities. This is because Mrs May has a voting record on equalities which is... well, less than stellar would be putting it mildly. The thing is, Theresa May is Home Secretary, with Equalities bolted on as an afterthought, probably just because she's a woman. And yes, equalities being an afterthought is frustrating and offensive, but that's the way a government composed of and negotiated by white middle class men is ALWAYS going to see it.

Who is actually going to be doing the work on the equalities brief? I think you'll find it's Lynne Featherstone. Whose record is impeccable, whose work ethic is incredible, and whose views are much more acceptable than Mrs May's.

This, along with the fact that whatever her views Theresa May is actually comepetent and capable, and therefore will not be having the "girls suck at math" effect the way Jacqui Smith did, is the reason I am pretty relaxed about her appointment. No amount of flaming from anonytrolls is going to change that.