I have always had constituents who are regular correspondents. Several send me a daily email. A couple send me several emails every day and one sends them throughout the night as well.
The number of repeat emailers has increased significantly during ‘party-gate’, presumably to wear me down until I agree with them, notwithstanding that -as I’ve said in this column- I’ll be keeping my own counsel.
When I first heard the PM tell the House of Commons that there were no parties, a shudder went down my spine. Not because I didn’t believe him, but because I was sure that, what he honestly considered to be ‘work events’, others would judge to be parties.
The extent of the gulf between these two very different perceptions will only be revealed when we have the facts. That is why I insist on reserving judgement until we get the full account of what took place: when the police investigation concludes and Sue Gray can reveal all the detail that she knows.
This week several correspondents have emailed me the latest photograph of the PM at a party; “banged to rights”; “guilty as charged”. How can I any longer hide behind the excuse of awaiting the outcome of the inquiry when the evidence is before my eyes and in full colour…”of course the photo proves he is a liar -there he is actually at the party!”
As I look at the photo all I see is the PM standing in an office together with two colleagues, one of whom is seated in front of a screen (apparently he was hosting a workplace Christmas quiz over zoom). It is true that the fellow seated is sporting a string of tinsel and there is an open bottle of Champagne on the table. Nevertheless, if this ‘shock new revelation’ is the best they’ve got, then the PM would appear to be off the hook: it was no party.
No doubt, there is plenty more evidence for the police to sift through and which Sue Gray has yet to reveal to us. I will be patient and await the outcome.
Public commentary on broadcast media is even more vitriolic than some of my emails. Take, for example, the furore over Sir Keir Starmer escaping from a howling mob, outraged by his alleged failure to prosecute Jimmy Saville and -by implication in the commentary- they were clearly orchestrated by the PM’s remarks.
Having examined the footage for myself, they were only a handful of anti-vaxers led by Piers Corbyn; I heard them shouting, demanding to know why Sir Keir hadn’t backed Julian Assange; why he has abandoned the working class; why he has embraced the ‘new world order’ -whatever that may be.
Yes, there was a shout about Saville, but the notion that the activities of this bunch had been motivated by ill-chosen remarks from the PM is a measure of just how hysterical our broadcast news reporting has become.