In a recent Spectator panel debate titled ‘Review 2012, Preview 2013’, Matthew Parris startled an expectant audience by observing that in his view nothing very interesting had happened in the past 12 months, and not much excitement lies in wait for next year. Prediction, we know, is a mug’s game — those ancient Mayans who said the world was going to end last week must be feeling more sheepish than a flock of Treasury growth forecasters. Even predicting ‘not much excitement’ is to risk being horribly wrong if our banks turn out to be as under-capitalised as the doomsters suggest, and it all kicks off again like September 2008. But Matthew is wise: experience should have taught us by now not to hope for great moments of catharsis, and not to live in constant fear of cataclysm.
So that’s it really. Muddling through is set to continue, the coalition will stumble on, recovery will be patchy, unseasonal weather and inappropriate behaviour will make headlines for want of anything weightier — and Europe’s ‘Newcomer to Watch’ will be Silvio Berlusconi.
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