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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
John Crace

Jenrick’s incredible journey – from self-centred halfwit to self-centred halfwit

Robert Jenrick
Honest Bob, a man with no qualities, no values and no beliefs. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images

It’s come down to this. Watch any reality TV show and it won’t be long before you hear the lead presenter talking about how each contestant has been on a journey. It’s as though we can’t survive without a narrative structure. An attempt to give emotional meaning to something fundamentally meaningless.

It feels as if everyone has to be on a journey now. If you’re not, then you’re somehow less interesting. Only half a person. Even our politicians are no longer exempt. In the last 24 hours there have been any number of talking heads lining up to tell us that Robert Jenrick has been on quite the journey. His former Tory colleagues. His new tribe at Reform. Even Honest Bob likes to talk about his journey. Makes him feel special and different. Important.

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