When the Liberal Democrats had a strong leader

Apparently the Lib Dems had a party conference this week. Not that it got much notice. The Lib Dems remain in a rut.

But there was a time when they made an impact under a tough leader and were actually very good at coming third. Here's a classic Rory Bremner sketch from those days:

Has the media ever liked any archbishop?

Anyone who thinks Rowan Williams's recent controversies raise questions about the Archbishop's ability to perform in the media age might like to consider that his predecessors also came in for a bit of criticism. Here are Robert Runcie and George Carey being lampooned in a Spitting Image sketch from YouTube:

And Rowan Williams hasn't fared much better at the hands of satirists:

Not much has changed has it? Why not focus on his ability to be a spiritual leader rather than on whether or not he can satisfy tabloid journalists or escape satirists?

Isn't Rory Bremner fantastic?

Courtesy of YouTube, one of the best Rory Bremner sketches of recent times: