6April

David Plunkett told the NUT that we will be governing in the interests of all of the people. Tony Blair said that his government would tell the truth to the people and avoid financial scandals. John Major called Labour chickens for avoiding a television debate, and said that running the country was not a game of cricket, a successful batsman doesn't retire. Paddy Ashdown was campaigning in the traditional style, saying that Labour was promising to improve health and education without spending one new penny, and Michael Heseltine was swinging through the seats. John Prescott was sent on a 10,000 mile tour of marginal seats. Martin Bell was endorsed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats as an anti-sleaze candidate to run against Neil Hamilton in Tatton.

For the duration of the campaign, Snow resigns his Newsnight seat to stand before a peak-time constituency with his famous prediction machine for the Nine O'Clock News (BBC1), read by Peter Sissons. 'Peter?' said Sissons. 'Peter!' acknowledged Snow. In current affairs broadcasting, the word 'Peter' seems to be employed much as the word 'Roger' is used by mini-cab firms. Snow had exciting news. Whoever is the next Prime Minister, his equipment is a winner. 'Peter - whatever the outcome, it's certain the election will break records on our swingometer. If the Tories win, it will be a record recovery. But, if Labour win, they too will break records.'

--Mark Lawson, Het Grauniad, 3/4/1997

Suspicious devices were found near junction 9 of the M6 near Wednesbury, and junction 18 of the M1 in Northamptonshire. Police closed those roads, the top end of the M5, and other elevated sections of motorways; rail lines were also affected. Traffic was diverted for almost two days, causing gridlock in the area. The Grand National was postponed after another bomb scare, just 30 minutes before the race was due to begin; the race will be run at 5pm on Monday.

The Galileo probe found evidence of organic molecules on one of Jupiter's moons. Pioneer 10 was abandoned after it finally got too far away to transmit a decent signal. Space shuttle Columbia returned to earth after just two days when a generator failed. Abbas Gokai was convicted of fraud in the 1991 BCCI collapse - "it's the biggest fraud of all time," said Chris Dickson. Britain's tennis players lost in the Davis Cup to the powerhouse of Zimbabwe. The League Cup final ended in a 1:1 draw between Leicester and Middlesbrough

The Midlands Today April fish was that rickshaws were being introduced to Stratford-upon-Avon. A genuine tour operator thought, "that's a good idea", and started a real business. BBC2 began its version of Blockbusters for grown-ups, hosted by Michael Aspel. Alan Freeman returned with Pick of the Pops after a four-year gap. The corporation also launched its new programme for the very young, Teletubbies. Channel 5 spent its first full week on air, with much mirth from commentators giggling at squinting figures.

Just three records appearing in the bottom reaches of the chart this week. These Animal Men put Light emitting electrical wave at 72, the third and final minor hit single of their career. Ruth was new at 66 with I don't know; the band became the 45s and was much favoured by Jonathan King's Tip Sheet publication until it closed in 2001; the band split the following year. Old ravers never die, they just perform with a soul diva - in the case of Hyper-go-go (two hits in 1992), the diva was Adeva (regular in 1989). Do watcha do made number 60. The usual slew of records slumping in their second and third weeks, though Warren G's I shot the sheriff spends its third week in the 60s, there are slow falls for Sean Maguire and the Beautiful South, and a one-place climb for Peter Andrex.

First of fifteen new entries in the top 40 came at number 40, and it's the debut for Travis. U16 girls wasn't an ode to paedophilia, but an example of songwriting where the title doesn't actually appear in the lyric. Fran Healey told Radio 2 in 2007 that he'd learned from this mistake. Travis would have four more hits before the year's out, but wouldn't break through into the mainstream until 1999. When they broke, they really broke, all to do with cramming in the titles to the point of nausea.

Second hit single for the Disco Citizens at 34, Footprint was the mercifully belated follow-up to their 1995 cover of Jesus Jones's Right here right now. The group would have one more minor hit, 1998's Nagasaki badger. Queen Latifah came in at 31 with Mr big stuff, Puff Johnson's second hit of the year - and his final one to date - was Forever more at 29, and Hondy came in at 26 with Hondy. Fastest climber, incidentally, was the Spice Girls' festive hit, back up four to 27.

Luscious Jackson came in at 25 with Naked eye, the group's only top 40 hit in the UK. The group made music from a particularly unusual place, somewhere between hip-hop, grunge, and the style that would eventually become known as emo. It was complex and full of life, exemplified by their hit single, two songs melded together so well that one cannot see the joins. There are other reasons why we like this song, but those would be for chums to know.

In at 22 was Sara Parker's My love is deep, her only hit of any description. SWV's hit-making career came to an end at 18 with Can we; their summer in the sun was 1993, when Right here spent forever in the top ten, peaking at 3. Funky Green Dogs made their debut at 17 performing Fired up!; about this group, we remember nothing.

The Future Sound of London was an ambient collective, whose singles were typically 20 minutes and more in length. Their best-known recording is probably Papua New Guinea, a hit in 1992 and 2001. The group's biggest hit came ten years ago, as We have explosive placed at position 12, their third single to stall within hailing distance of the top ten.

Another group that seemed fated never to have a top ten hit was the Brand New Heavies, a very commercial contemporary soul group. They'd had top 20 hits in 1994 with Dream on dreamer and Midnight at the oasis, and new release Sometimesseemed to represent their best chance for entry into the charmed circle. Their eleventh hit came in at 11, denied the number 10 place by Makaveli's To live and die in la, Tupac Shakur's posthumous tribute to his favourite note.

Sash! was a non-mover at 9, and last week's number one, Block rocking beats from the Chemical Brothers, is this week's number 8. DJ Quicksilver's Bellissima dropped a place to 7, and the Spice Girls came down four places to 6. New at number 5 was Depeche Mode, securing their second top five single of the still-young year. It's no good lived down to its title.

Smoke City, a British ambient-jazz band (yes, such things do exist) came in at 4 with Underwater love. It only got this high after being used in a commercial for jeans. Three weeks at number one, and now a third week at number 3 for No Doubt's Don't speak. Highest new entry honours went to Supergrass's Richard IIIdebuting at 2. It matched the entry position of 1995's summer anthem Alright, but declined down the lists at a rate of knots. The 'Grass never had a number one hit, and would never again reach the top five.

R Kelly won a three-way battle for the top, barely 800 sales ahead of Supergrass and 1500 over No Doubt. I believe I can fly became the first record to climb to the number one slot since Tori Amos twelve weeks before, the first to take three weeks to hit the summit since Deep Blue Something the previous September, and the first to make the top after falling since Céline Dion's Think twice at the start of 1995.

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