AFEW weeks back I was listening to the England-Hungary match on the radio.

The visitors had gone 1-0 up and the commentator, in doom-laden tones, announced that if they hung on it would be the greatest night in that nation’s footballing history.

A few minutes later – presumably he had heard the hoots of laughter from across the country – his mate in the commentary box pointed out that it might not quite match up to the 6-3 and 7-1 drubbings the Hungarians had handed out to us in 1953 and 1954.

Living in a society of the instant soundbite and rolling news, perhaps it’s understandable that we’ve lost a sense of history.

We’ve seen other examples of it this week in very different contexts. This newspaper reported on the red-faced tourism officer who got Stan Laurel’s birthplace wrong on a leaflet. Whether or not their boss is now telling them “Another fine mess you’ve gotten me into” is another matter.

Then, of course, at the Labour Party conference in Manchester we saw many politicians heartily applauding the repudiation of policies and actions that they had been cheerleaders for not so very long ago.

They did it without red faces, naturally.

But then that’s the art of politics: if you apologise for the mistakes you didn’t make, it takes people’s minds off the foul-ups you have no intention of saying sorry for.

THERE was one bit of history I was glad to see rewritten this week, though. It was the revelation that nearly a third of mammals thought to be extinct are still alive and, if not well, at least resisting mankind’s attempts to finish them off. It was, I suppose, heartening to know that resilient nature still defies us to do our worst.

Any optimism was tempered when I read another report saying one-fifth of plant species are at risk, including varieties crucial to the food chain, pharmaceuticals and medicine and in fighting climate change.

Statistics like this are a wake-up call telling us we have to treat the natural world with more respect. In Middlesbrough, we’ve made our own small contribution by signing up to something called One Planet Living through which we will try to encourage recycling, renewable energy, waste reduction and fair and prudent use of all our resources as a council and a community.

It doesn’t mean we’ll never build another house or factory, or new road, or ever drive a car again. But it will try to strike a balance between the need for economic growth and conserving resources. We have to get this balance right. Otherwise, the next time we look at the list of endangered species we might find our names on it.

PEOPLE who smuggle and trade in illegal tobacco are our enemies. They target children and communities where there are already more than enough health problems.

Like drug dealers, they have no conscience and in my view should expect no leniency when they come before the courts.

That is why in Middlesbrough we are working with HM Revenue and Customs to target houses where illegal cigarettes are stored and traded. The latest raids took place last week and future activity will focus not just on the street and estate sellers, but the criminal further up the food chain, whose profits from this dirty business are substantial.

This is one “enterprise” we can do without and I urge everyone to support us in putting them out of business – Crimsestoppers on 0800 555 111 is the number.