Rishi Sunak and the art of politics

The sound of chinking glasses and merry laughter greeted Steerpike yesterday as he made his way through the Westminster village. Rishi Sunak might have placed an edict on Treasury staff holding their traditional office drinking session while watching him deliver his spring statement but clearly some just decamped to SW1’s watering holes instead. What better way to greet the biggest fall in living standards in any single financial year. One baby-faced apparatchik was overhead remarking: ‘That went alright, didn’t it?’ Less than 24 hours on, Mr S isn’t so sure that’s the judgement of the commentariat….

Still, at least the Treasury gang appear to have kept their drinking relatively under control, unlike last year when Sunak’s mobbed appearance at the Two Chairmen prompted a noise complaint from enraged neighbours. Not so the House of Commons where it seems parliamentary staff are getting smashed and then falling asleep on the estate. Sir Charles Walker has this morning written to MPs to ask them to ‘be vigilant’ in ensuring passholders conduct themselves to the ‘highest standard at all times.’