Heard the first part of a BBC Radio 4 prog yesterday about Scandinavia with Sweden the 1st country featured. It covered everything from the Swedish Empire of the 17thC to modern day attitudes to wearing masks to future plans to unify the 5 Nordic countries as one by 2030 all in 30 mins. Next is Norway. If you can listen here's the link.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08y05r1

It was preceded by 'The Long View of The Anti Vaccination Movement.' At the end of the 19thC Small pox vaccination was compulsory. There was a movement against it and the Leicester Anti Vaccination League was set up and got the compulsion removed. Interesting listen

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pffk

This brings me to the much maligned BBC. Whilst I agree the standard of BBC TV journalism has plummeted and so much licence payers money is wasted no one has mentioned

1. The £billions the BBC brings in from sales abroad. Is there a country you can't get Eastenders? The BBC is possibly the most recognised symbol of the UK around the World.

2. The quality of BBC Radio. I get my morning news from the Today Prog and my evening from PM. I miss genial John Humphreys and especially Eddie Mair who for me were on a par with Neil when interrogating MPs. But it's still the best around.

I'm not aware of any other country having this sort of quality available on a national radio station. I certainly get my moneys worth.