Owing to the complexities of printing schedules and Christmas holidays, it’s just over a week before Christmas as we put the finishing touches on this February Briefing. In fact, as I write this, I am still recovering from a lunchtime commando raid on the local shopping centre. It was supposed to be like the war in Iraq— go in, do the business and get out again—but ended up feeling just as futile and almost as protracted.

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