John Humphries was childish and aggressive

I had to retune to Radio 1 half way through the interview about mental health patients on the Today programme this morning. I would have caused an accident on the Holloway Road. John Humphries was childish and aggressive, the whole premise of the piece was childish and aggressive.

The majority of people in mental hospitals are there because they need help, just like people in hospitals. The obsession with people who have committed crimes is terribly dangerous. It stigmatises the hundreds of thousands of us who at one time or another have a mental health issue and are increasingly scared to admit it or ask for help. I have close friends and family who have been in hospitals, one as a result of a being a victim of a terrible attack and another teenager who had a breakdown but is now doing fine.

This slot was followed by a discussion about an equally complex issue but it was handled in quite a different way. The interview concerned the housing market and public policy in the US and UK. The questions were probing but polite and the interview was intelligent and illuminating.

I remember some years ago I was phoned by a researcher from the Today programme who pleaded with me to do a live interview about life sentence prisoners. I had had no coffee and was still in bed (it was a Saturday) but reluctantly agreed. John Humphries was abusive and bullying and hardly let me get a word out. Willy wobbling was what I would call it. Nothing to do with discussing a pretty intractable problem; all about him showing off.

It is time that the more sensible interviewers took over.