End of Days

 

There you go: they've cracked at last and gone for a summer election and parliament is about to be dissolved until July. Why now, exactly, is open to much speculation, but my surmise is that fourteen years of trotting out the same old empty platitudes, internal culture wars between the far right and the - erm - less-far right might just have weakened their resolve to continue with the farce, with the stark reality of the polls further cementing their decision to jump. Sunak's outgoing performance - for surely to God there can be no return from this - was further reinforced by his bedraggled appearance: his silk suit ruined by the constant rain over Downing Street. If he imagined that continuing stoically through it all would lend an air of pathos to the situation, and garner him a measure of sympathy, this was loudly denied by some naughty people in the close environs of Number Ten playing 'Things Can Only Get Better' through a PA, almost drowning out his voice as the rain was soaking out the shape of his suit.

Earlier today, we watched ex-CEO of Post Office Ltd., Paula Vennells being grilled by a highly enthusiastic Jason Beer, KC, at the Post Office Scandal Enquiry, overseen [in person as we always knew he would] by Sir Wyn Williams, the former High Court judge, chairing the enquiry. This had always promised to be a very interesting watch, as the Anglican-ordained Ms Vennells was to be under oath, sworn on her Holy Book of choice and conviction. Not only under scrutiny by the enquiry itself, but by her faith, and her Creator also. She has walked a very slender tightrope thus far, evidently avoiding deliberately answering any question in a straightforward manner that would put her in breach of that oath, either to the Enquiry or to her God. But she will [has already been tripped up into a mis-speak by Beer] screw up, as the enquiry's counsels have done a very good and thorough job in preparing for what is, after all, the headline interrogation of this enquiry. She had better watch out for the thunderbolts from heaven over the remaining couple of days of her testimony; but then again she's probably a Good News rather than an Old Testament kind of Christian: O, where is there a vengeful God when you need one [pronouns they/them]...