Papers leap to defence of the 60s

Tony Blair's criticism of the legacy of the swinging sixties has the commentators either scratching their heads or reaching for their lovebeads.

The Daily Mirror prints 60 reasons the decade was great, including Motown, miniskirts and Woodstock.

In the Guardian, David Aaronovitch refuses to throw away his kaftan.

The sixties generation now supports tougher law and order measures, he says; they never wanted to get beaten up on the way home from yoga by louts.

Cynical

The Independent says the Blair thesis on the 60s is "confused", lambasting him for pandering to the half-baked theories of the illiberal right.

The Daily Mail interprets Mr Blair's words as a concession that he's been on the wrong track for the past seven years.

It sees much to welcome but finds it impossible not to feel cynical.

The Telegraph agrees the speech is an admission of failure, and is left wondering what the PM now stands for.

Angry young man

The sixties are further recalled as the papers print more on the life of the campaigning journalist, Paul Foot.

An angry young man who refused to stop being angry, says the Times.

In the Guardian Richard Stott recalls persuading Robert Maxwell not to sack Foot, who'd been picketing his home in support of a printers' dispute.

The Independent's Mark Steel recalls a friend whose enthusiasm for life seemed designed to destroy the stereotype of the revolutionary lefty.

Magpie barred

The Mail reports on a disturbing case of theft and binge-drinking which almost certainly will not feature in any government strategy.

It concerns a magpie, barred from a pub in West Yorkshire for sticking his head in the customers' pint glasses and drinking their beer.

The landlord of the Kings Arms in Wakefield introduced his own no-nonsense crackdown.

Whenever the magpie slips in he is to be escorted off the premises.