A country of creators, for creators
Plus crying at the theatre, my maiden speech and Apple Watch accountability
In this edition:
A country of creators, for creators
My maiden speech
Apple Watch accountability
The best Christmas movie of all time
45 years of Lust for Life
If you’re quoting from this newsletter, please mention “Tom Watson’s newsletter on Substack.” Thank you.
A country of creators, for creators
This week I saw a play that encouraged me to laugh, cry, participate, jump in my seat, sing, and cry a bit more. I saw the play with my kids and realised I’m the luckiest Lord that ever left Kidderminster.
The play? A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic. I won’t reveal too much, but this is a slightly kinder Scrooge, not the squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner as Dickens describes him in the book.
Well, he is all these things, but not for long in this version of the play. This Scrooge is brilliantly played by Owen Teale, who can draw tears and laughs at the turn of a sixpence. If you can still get tickets, take the children and you can thank me later.
There are great plays and great play-going experiences, ones you never forget. I queued for over four hours for a last-minute return ticket to the final performance of Hamlet, played by Roger Rees, at the Barbican 37 years ago. The cast included Frances Barber, Virginia McKenna, Christopher Benjamin and Kenneth Branagh.
I had no idea about theatre back then but realised in my middle years how privileged I was to see the play with this cast. The nervous anticipation over whether I’d get a ticket. More nerves of a provincial kid in a posh theatre. The joy of getting a front-row seat. It was the experience as much as the play that made the memories.
This is where I say how lucky we are to live in the UK and its thriving arts sector. When I think about a Labour government, what should a successful arts policy look like? It’s simple to me. Will there be more people writing, producing, acting in and watching plays when we leave office, than when we enter office? The same goes for writing, making, performing and protecting music, TV, films and video games. Same for drawing, painting, and sculpting.
Art changes us. Sometimes imperceptibly, sometimes with an epiphany. Progressive parties like Labour, the Lib Dems and The Greens are more predisposed to understand this, though this is not an exclusive club; there are some enlightened Tories too!
After nearly 20 years as an MP in Sandwell, one of the inspiring figures I had the pleasure of working with was Sylvia King. She was part of a small group of visionary cultural leaders who practised socially engaged art. Syliva died earlier this year, but I hope her vision will not be lost: a socially engaged society where everyone makes art.
My maiden speech
If you can cope with watching me speak for four and a bit minutes, here is my first speech in the House of Lords. I’ve tried in vain to link to the right section of the video but technology has defeated me this time. So you’ll need to skip through to 13:44:23 on the video.
I hoped to describe Wyre Forest and big up Bewdley Civic Society, but debate time was cut. I’ll find another opportunity to do this in the new year.
Using an Apple Watch to track an active life
Do you have an Apple Watch, or are you hoping for one this Christmas? If so, you’ll need to know how best to use the ‘Apple rings’ that come with the watch.
I’m writing my January plan for weight loss and fitness; believe me, I need it. Several friends have Apple watches, and we’re beginning to form an accountability group because you can share the activity with each other. It’s a good motivator.
It took me a bit to determine the activity rings and how they work.
The red circle is the Move ring. It tracks calories burned throughout the day. I hope to use it to get plenty of ambient calorie burning during the working day. For example, I have to climb 31 steps to get to my new office from the chamber of the House of Lords. The Move ring will clock all this.
The green circle is the Exercise ring. This tracks all activity at or above the pace of a quick walk. Mine is currently set at 30 minutes a day which I can easily get on a decent walk and often exceed if I’m in the gym or working out with a PT. I’ve hardly closed it this month, which shows in my weight. Closing this ring each day in January is my key goal.
The blue circle is the Stand ring. This is the cleverest tool of the lot and is linked to contemporary research. The watch is set to buzz on your wrist to remind you to stand if you’ve been sitting for nearly an hour. The idea is that you move for at least one minute an hour, for 12 hours in the day. I will use this to take further, slightly longer exercise each hour of the day. More on this in a future newsletter.
The best Christmas movie of all time: It’s a Wonderful Life
I told my daughter I’d watch Elf if she watched A Wonderful Life with me. In previous years it’s been hard to get the kids to watch black-and-white movies. This year the moment was just right. So, that’s a play and a film that’s made me cry this week!
45 years of lust for life
I’m looking forward to getting to many more gigs in 2023. I’ve already got Iggy bass player, Tony Fox Sales in my diary. He’s joining Clem Burke of Blondie and Bowie guitarist Kevin Armstrong to mark the 45th-anniversary release of Lust for Life. I’m so excited! Tickets are available here.
Have a lovely Christmas,
Tom
Am delighted with your elevation to the Lords. Use your counsel wisely and let’s see a change of Government asap
It was a Labour Government that gave us The Open University, too! The Arts mean very little to the Tory bean-counters, so the thought of a Labour government soon (please!!) fills me with hope for the arts in the UK, which is such a rich field. I read yesterday that there are many fewer working-class people now involved in the arts than there were some years ago, but there's no reason for that except a lack of support and a lack, perhaps, of education; better-off families can afford private music lessons and drama classes, but artistic expression in all fields should be for everyone. I'm so glad you had that wonderful experience of getting the theatre ticket! too many people think that the Arts are Posh, and Not For Them, whereas nothing could be further from the truth.