Starmer’s ‘jokes’ make him sound like a creepy uncle |
Another week, another U-turn! This time the PM had chosen to make Prime Minister’s Questions even more torturous for himself by beating an ignominious retreat on the issue of compulsory digital ID. The climb-down was inevitable. The government has totalitarian aspirations that would make Brezhnev blush, but is sadly fated to be run by people for whom the ‘Do Not Eat’ instructions on Playdoh are designed.
The gap between Labour’s authoritarian instincts and its actual abilities has enormous comic potential. Indeed I’m sure that in time Sir Keir will be considered to have added greatly to the gaiety of nations: just not the one that has to suffer him as its prime minister.
Presumably the government just hopes people won’t notice their attempts at rule by legislative sadomasochism. Alas not. Certainly Mrs Badenoch had noticed. ‘Can I welcome the Prime Minister’s latest U-turn’ she purred. ‘I feel like I say that every week’. She seized on the Health Secretary’s reported comments that Sir Keir’s New Year’s resolution should be ‘to get it right first time’. Sir Keir was not pleased at this. Presumably saying ‘Wes Streeting’ in his presence is akin to saying ‘Macbeth’ backstage........