What is the point of Boris Johnson?
The question is posed by a lackadaisical Prime Minister treating himself to a Spanish sunshine holiday in Marbella while crises mount on his desk, putting the “out of office” sign on Downing Street’s front door instead of grappling with problems from an energy meltdown and lorry driver shortages to empty shelves and slaughtered pigs.
The answer from the absent PM must be there isn’t much point to him at all or he’d be rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in rather than flying away for a nice break.
Johnson’s timing is extraordinary, signalling he isn’t serious.
Of course even a PM who is no Stakhanovite is entitled to put up his feet.
Doing so right now, however, will intensify criticisms that he lacks the inclination, hunger and ability to put other people first.
Slapdash and selfish, Johnson going Awol is a mistake.
Nation is losing its way
The rise in pauper funerals is a shameful revival of Dickensian Britain, the poor and isolated forced to rely on the state to pay and organise dignified if basic send-offs.
We deeply regret the increase in these departures yet at the same time we can all be relieved there are people who do the hard yards at the end.
No single reason is probably responsible for the jump but growing hardship – last week’s callous £20 a week Universal Credit cut likely to inflict more pain – may be a cause as night be homelessness and poor housing and families fracturing.
What we do know for sure is extra pauper funerals are a measure of a country heading in the wrong direction, one of the world’s wealthiest nations alas losing its way.
Heavyweight champ celebrates
Crying and praying on the ropes after knocking out boxing heavyweight formidable rival Deontay Wilder in a tumultuous fight, world champion Tyson Fury in Las Vegas was the globe’s Gypsy King.
The all-conquering pugilist now worth an estimated £60-million who climbed off the canvas not once but twice to win is an irrepressible giant with the world at his fists.
