Behind-the-sofa government
Current Tory strategy consists in hiding and hoping the voters don’t notice the mess
Where were you when you heard that Simon Clarke — sorry, Sir Simon Clarke — had called for Rishi Sunak to resign? Crowding round a television set in a shop window, desperate for updates? Crouched next to your wireless, anxious to hear if Kwasi Kwarteng too had demanded the prime minister quit?
It was a magnificent moment. The length of the nation, people turned to one another and asked: “Who’s Simon Clarke? Sorry, Sir Simon Clarke. But who is he?” To which the answer was, of course, “he’s the very tall one who was Levelling Up Secretary for a few weeks in 2023”.
Bonus stuff: Nova The Dog gives the low-down on the latest briefing from Isaac Levido. And, though it’s not online yet, I’ve been watching the new Apple TV war series, Master of the Air: short version, I’m enjoying it so far.