“Don’t you DARE go after my imaginary friends!”

But that’s what I mean! At the minute her vision is just WE GET GROWTH with no “why”. And you could argue the need to articulate a vision is even more pertinent considering she clearly doesn’t want a larger state. What’s growth for, then? Enriching individuals? Fine.. but what about society?

PeOpLe WaNt GrOwTh. No… they want more money, better public services, clean streets, less crime etc

I was arguing with a Tory commentator on the radio last night who argued that growth and deregulation WAS the sell and it’s like no! it’s not! What could be exciting (to some voters) is what they DO for the country, they’re just mot exciting ends to themselves for most people

That’s what I’m saying, yeah

Kind of, but there was a vision for the Tory party historically that sat somewhere along the line of Britain as a culturally rich, punching above its weight soft power… so there was a push for net zero, international rules etc etc. but all that’s gone and all that’s left is bitterness

And I can’t help feeling so much of this is driven by a political culture shaped by atomised social media that no longer views the country as a collective with a social contract and mutual obligations but a kind of woke construct designed to fleece us

It feels like so much of right wing politics now is just “burn it all to the ground” for the sake of it (or because people DESERVE IT), without really making a case for what good would come out of it

Kemi Badenoch’s whole shtick is slash and burn, which is red meat for the Westminster-brained, but for the wider electorate… what actually is her vision for what emerges from the ashes? What sort of country does she want us to become? Seemingly just one that’s punitive, uncaring and nasty?

My teacher brother has just informed me that his primary school kids now refer to anything shit or old fashioned as "Brexit". Which has made my morning.

Thanks for sharing!

no I'm sorry who told Le Monde we were calling it "Breturn", own up

call yourself “badass Kemi” again and you’ll be hearing from my lawyers

Also loving all the contortions of when someone is independent - the Conservatives think an 18-year-old is enough of an adult to sign up to a lifetime of student debt they weren't properly informed about, but not for the state to assess them for benefits on their own terms. Totally makes sense

Don't pre-empt tomorrow's column!!!

The argument behind “suicidal empathy” is that compassion is self-defeating. Burnham’s proposition is the inverse. Compassion is what gives you the conviction to make difficult decisions in the first place. Politics does not require us to care less, but to care more.