In a twist that makes a kebab after a pint of gin look predictable, an American journalist has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of the People's Republic of China. Yes, you read that right. A member of the Fourth Estate, that noble profession of hounding the powerful, has apparently been hounded by the powerful into doing their bidding.
Or perhaps he just really, really liked the Great Firewall. Anyhow, MI5, our very own band of bowler-hatted busybodies, have expressed 'vigilance' over Beijing's influence. Vigilance, you say?
Like a hangover, it seems to arrive after the party's over. But never mind. The Thames will still flow, the MPs will still posture, and somewhere, a gin bottle weeps at the sheer predictability of it all.








