Sad News Today, we say goodbye to Shane MacGowan and Alistair Darling. The former, a giant of folk music, the latter a unique Scottish politician. I’m sure you all remember Shane MacGowan as the singer in The Pogues, pretty much the inventors of punk-folk. If, like me, you have seen them perform live, you will also know that he was a world champion bevvy-merchant. You are probably also aware that because of his impressive and assiduous devotion to alcohol consumption, he has been in the bed next to the door for more than three decades. It is amazing that he lasted as long as he did. He had a terrific tenor voice, and great presence as a stage performer. Friends who saw The Pogues with Joe Strummer standing in for him all say that the experience was a lesser one. Shane really made the event, despite the fact that with him as the singer, the band sometimes had to do the last half hour or so without him as his legitimate libations had had the effect of...