- Wed Jul 09, 2025 10:54 am
#92440
An insufferable wanker. A contrarian. A provocateur. A snob.
But that's his brand. It's what he does. I haven't read much of his writing, but I have recently caught him in the weekly half hour slot he does alongside Edwina Currie, of all people, on Times Radio.
And remarkably, I often find myself in agreement with some of his provocations.
For example, this morning he was opining that Brian Leveson's reported view that the right to trial by jury must be dramatically reduced, or curtailed, with far more cases being dealt with by judges if the justice system, already straining at the seams, is to avoid total collapse. He phased it in a provocative way, of course - attacking the way that trust in the opinions of the "twelve good (wo)men and true" will prove to be the right thing, and characterising some potential jurors as know-nothing fuckwits. But he was basically right. The French seem to get by just fine with judges presiding entirely over cases, as do many other countries.
He also thought, pungently, that the Resident Doctors don't deserve to be paid a single penny more. I'm less sure that I agree with him on that one, but it's a view.
On balance, I think that Giles Coren is a good thing. Not as nice as his sister, and not a patch on his old man, but OK.
Your mileage may differ - as ever. But give us your view, anyway.
But that's his brand. It's what he does. I haven't read much of his writing, but I have recently caught him in the weekly half hour slot he does alongside Edwina Currie, of all people, on Times Radio.
And remarkably, I often find myself in agreement with some of his provocations.
For example, this morning he was opining that Brian Leveson's reported view that the right to trial by jury must be dramatically reduced, or curtailed, with far more cases being dealt with by judges if the justice system, already straining at the seams, is to avoid total collapse. He phased it in a provocative way, of course - attacking the way that trust in the opinions of the "twelve good (wo)men and true" will prove to be the right thing, and characterising some potential jurors as know-nothing fuckwits. But he was basically right. The French seem to get by just fine with judges presiding entirely over cases, as do many other countries.
He also thought, pungently, that the Resident Doctors don't deserve to be paid a single penny more. I'm less sure that I agree with him on that one, but it's a view.
On balance, I think that Giles Coren is a good thing. Not as nice as his sister, and not a patch on his old man, but OK.
Your mileage may differ - as ever. But give us your view, anyway.
"The opportunity to serve our country: that is all we ask.” John Smith, May 11, 1994.
- By Tubby Isaacs