OPINION: KING CHARLES FOR PRIME MINISTER?

All my life I have looked up to whoever is prime minister as a person to admire and emulate where possible in terms of acuity, achievement and leadership. Every single prime minister, even Boris Johnson, I have regarded with respect as someone who has achieved something that I know is utterly beyond my own abilities. Until now. For the first time in more than six decades, we have a prime minister where I genuinely think I could do better. Obviously there has been a massive fail in the selection process. Maybe they should try what some people do with houses, and put the job out to lottery. Or to interview. Or give “dear oh dear” King Charles a go.

PM Liz Truss, King Charles and Boris Johnston.

Today I wrote up a story about this weekend’s Church Action on Poverty conference in Sheffield. One of those scheduled to speak is Deacon Andrew Crowley, who will be among a small group attending from St Patrick’s, Sheffield. He has been asked to say a few words about how they are responding to an invitation from a local school to provide a meal and a warm place. Later he clarified to me: “Our school is doing an amazing job – free meals for all, and an arrangement with Fareshare for families who need it. They approached us (second day of new school year) asking if we can work with them to provide a community meal / warm space for people. It is an exciting offer and we, as a parish, need to find ways of supporting this.” Since when did churches, traditionally formed to be icy-cold on the hottest of summer days, get to be thought of as “warm” spaces? How did they get so hot? I blame Vatican II. On second thoughts, rather than choosing me for PM, they should choose Deacon Andrew Crowley. If anyone can get done what needs to be done, it has to be somebody like him.