How many times, dear reader, over the last few months, in conversations with friends and colleagues, over dinner or coffee, have you discussed how depressing the UK is right now? I had this very conversation with a Spanish friend of mine yesterday, who cannot wait to escape London for Madrid for two weeks. I admit I was practically begging to get on the aeroplane with her. Because there is a declinist stupor that has gripped us, a morose acceptance that, frankly, this country is heading only in one direction.
One gloomy economic forecast after the next assails us, along with dreary grey weather and inflation, rising mortgages and hideous news from Ukraine. Then there’s Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt talking on and on about hard days ahead (enough now — we’ve got the message). The temptation to stay snuggled under the covers, rather than get out and battle another day... sometimes it is overwhelming.
