Tony Banks

Well, I might have had my head in the sand, but I did open The Guardian long enough to read the gut-wrenching news that that animated, witty lefty commentator and some time British Labour politician Tony Banks died recently.

I always enjoyed his talking head on various current affairs programs, spouting its opinion in his special brand of rapid-fire south-of-the-Thames-Estuary English.

He also stood up for animals, liked sport and was a fan of the very, very great Tony Benn. What is not to mourn?

Britain's losing all its fine leftie pollies, it would seem.