We were given clear guidance to “not get too excited” when notice of a dawn summons to Downing Street landed in inboxes late on Wednesday night, and in fairness to the prime minister’s media team, that guidance could not have been more accurate.
For a few moments, feverish speculation had taken hold, which they were quite right to nip in the bud. We were told to expect to be underwhelmed, and we most certainly were, which is no small achievement. If you pre-warn someone of your intention to underwhelm them, then to achieve the desired effect you have to be at least doubly underwhelming and ― credit where it’s due — Rishi Sunak most certainly was.
This sudden press conference was held to herald the