Today’s birthdays

Baroness Oppenheim-barnes, former Conservative minister, is 94; Lord Marnoch, a former Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 86; Mr John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia, 1996-2007, 85; Sir Mick Jagger, singer/songwriter; lead singer of the Rolling Stones, 81; Dame Helen Mirren, actress, 79; Mr John Nelson, Chairman, Lloyd’s of London, 2011-17, 77; Mr Roger Taylor, drummer, Queen, 75; Mr Jeremy Thomas, film producer; Chairman, British Film Institute, 1993-97, 75; Miss Susan George, actress, 74; Prof Dame Glynis Breakwell, social psychologist; Vice-chancellor of the University of Bath, 2001-18, 72; Sir John Sawers, Chief, Secret Intelligence Service, 2009-14, 69; Mr Norman Baker, former Coalition Government Cabinet minister, 67; Mr Kevin Spacey, actor, director and producer; Artistic Director, Old Vic Theatre, 2004-15, 65; Mr Justice Goose, 63; Mr Martin Baker, recitalist; President, Royal College of Organists, 2017-19; Master of Music, Westminster Cathedral, 2000-20, 57; Baroness Grey-thompson, wheelchair athlete, 55; Miss Liz Truss, Prime Minister, Sept to Oct 2022, 49; Colour Sgt Johnson Beharry, VC, 46; Miss Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand 2017-23, 44; Stormzy, rapper, 31; and Ms Maisie Summers-newton, swimmer; Paralympic gold medallist, 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke, Tokyo 2020, 22.

Today is the anniversary of the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956. It also the anniversary of the birth of George Bernard Shaw in 1856 and of Carl Jung in 1875.