Claire was the candidate in Spelthorne- the ex seat of Kwasi Kwarteng- the short lived Chancellor who, with the aid of Liz Truss, is credited with ‘crashing the economy’. His majority was 18,000 and the seat was held by the Tories by 1,500.

AP did a lot of work in the streets and got me out the day before the election to help. Good fun in the end knocking on doors and talking to people.

Of course a bit late. The election took place on Thursday as usual- July 4.

Labour won as was widely expected but with a huge majority.

The results:

And this was the prediction early on on the evening from the exit polls. Thankfully Reform did nit get 13 seats as predicted early on.

I do not feel excited by the change. It was widely expected – though the calling of the election by Sunak at this time was a surprise to nearly all people. I have a sense of relief that the dreadful Tories are gone. Useless, divisive and corrupt.

If seems that we can continue to be surprised.

The fifth worst PM in UK history- all of the last five PMs- is back.

The place is in such a bad position that we are boring holes in the bottom of the barrel.

It seems Sunak is finally getting rid of the total crap in his cabinet. Braverman has gone as weeks of agitation and stirring division and encouraging violent right wing action.

David Cameron returns to UK government as foreign secretary

Former PM makes surprise comeback as part of reshuffle in which Suella Braverman replaced by James Cleverly as home secretary

Kiran Stacey Political correspondentMon 13 Nov 2023 10.01 GMTLast modified on Mon 13 Nov 2023 14.34 GMT

David Cameron has returned to government as UK foreign secretary, in a stunning comeback for the former prime minister that highlighted Rishi Sunak’s willingness to take risks as he looks to revive his political fortunes.

Downing Street announced on Monday that Cameron would join the government, accepting a peerage in order to do so, as part of a wider reshuffle in which Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary and replaced by the foreign secretary, James Cleverly.

As Simon Jenkins says:

‘When the solution to your problem is David Cameron, you know you’re in deep trouble”

He used the vacuum left by the government and the aid of his media friends to defend his position and not accept any personal responsibility for his actions. He accused the report as using a ‘low bar’ to prove bullying and he ‘was cleared’ on all but two episodes.

However, I think the bar is set high in these things as the collection of evidence is difficult. Once the tight circle of evidence is shown the the other less easy to demonstrate events are more likely.

I think it is like drink- driving. Prosecutions are relatively uncommon. If you are found guilty there is a known relationship with alcohol misuse and other undetected episodes of drink-driving are likely.

The UK and other parts of Europe are currently experiencing extreme heat.

There are forest fires in Spain and Portugal. On the Atlantic coast of France too, including around ‘John Barley’s house”.

Currently it is 36C and due to be 38C later.

It is certainly too much to bear out of doors and I am not looking forward to the trip to the allotment to do the necessary watering.

This is at the same time as the protracted Tory leadership contest- as they slowly whittle down the contestants to the last two. Currently there are 5- and they have hardly discussed the climate crisis. They have concentrated on attacking each other-not Brexit enough- magic money trees and being a socialist. Wild.

Only yesterday did they, all five, begrudgingly say, they would keep to the net zero target. But with what sort of commitment in reality?

I saw the chair of the self styled ‘net zero scrutiny group’ interviewed yesterday- Tory MPs modelled on the ERG and similar members . Enough to make your blood boil- essentially climate change deniers. ” USA had a heat wave in the 1930s”, ‘ it is hot now but all will be back to normal in a few days”.

‘what the tiny group of Conservative MPs in the Net Zero Scrutiny Group are trying to make us do, in the latest salvo of their eccentric opposition to sound science. Led by Steve Baker and Craig Mackinlay and some of their faithful cheerleaders in the rightwing press, they are demanding the prime minister abandons the green levies that help finance Britain’s drive to net zero, out of apparent concern over soaring energy bills.‘

They couch their arguments as too expensive to act, not necessary, economic self- destruction with inflated numbers used. No acknowledgement of cost of not acting, eg- national trains cancelled today and people staying away from work. What about when there is a shortage of food, water, cities are a nightmare to live in.?

Johnson resigned as party leader yesterday after so much pressure. I think 59 ministers resigned in total from Tuesday- A record. He tried to tough it out.

In the end his speech outside the door of number 10 was typical- no mention of his many wrongdoings and basic corrupt actions and lying but of the ‘herd’ turning against him. In essence, not his fault and others have made the wrong decision.

He is trying to hand on until the autumn as PM- ridiculous. But he wants to hold onto power and the trappings of power.

He will go but the satisfaction will be short lived. The next one along will be in a similar mould.

Johnson has been in the firing line for few weeks. This week he stood up in Parliament and gave a fulsome “apology’. One of those non-apology apologies.

Cartoons give an idea of feeling in the country at the moment. Even the usual supporters are less supportive, though, there remain plenty of others who are happy to keep pumping him up to protect their own arses.