Propriety and Ethics

When she is not telling Boris Johnson whether or not he had gone to a party in his own garden, then what is Sue Gray's job? Not, "What is her job title?" What does she do? If Carrie Johnson had produced another baby by the end of this week, then I would be impressed. But not surprised. And did Rishi Sunak complain about the noise? It was not a proper party otherwise.

Speaking of Sunak, though, he is the best available option. Michael Gove's foreign policy views remain unconscionable. Liz Truss wants to prevent further losses to the Liberal Democrats, and to take back the seats already lost, by abandoning levelling up and by once again rendering it impossible through renewed conformity to Margaret Thatcher's Single Market and to the Customs Union that Britain joined while Thatcher was in the Cabinet.

But while Sunak may or may not have his heart in levelling up, he is committed to retaining the full Brexit that makes it possible and for which the areas that cast the decisive votes for Brexit therefore voted, and he is prepared to pursue levelling up in order to offset losses to the Lib Dems with gains of seats that had voted for Jeremy Corbyn both times. At Hartlepool, the Conservatives have already picked up one such seat, showing that it can be done. Sunak may be the best of a bad bunch. But he is that.