Could Cameron take over the Tories?

My weekly appearance on the podcast How to Win an Election, which I do with Danny Finkelstein, Polly Mackenzie and Matt Chorley, had succeeded in avoiding embarrassment until last week when, in response to a listener’s question about politicians’ appearance, I was momentarily stuck for something to say about Keir Starmer. I should have remained stuck. Instead, what came out of my mouth, after laying into Rishi Sunak’s skinny suits and narrow ties, was the suggestion that Keir could do with losing a few pounds. Heaven knows why it attracted such attention. Labour’s Wes Streeting was quick off the mark (he is so effective) with his condemnation of my ‘fat-shaming’ of his leader (his moral high ground lowered somewhat by an accompanying barb about my own paunchiness). Thankfully, in keeping with his own total lack of vanity, Keir himself was entirely forgiving, pointing out that every week he is in the gym and playing football, which is more than can be said for me.

On which subject, I was outed the other week to a Spectator editor by someone who spotted me sneaking into the Marylebone Lane branch of the St John restaurant to buy a doughnut.