Should we be blaming Balliol, rather than Eton, for our political woes?

In our house, the biggest source of tension is that I think there is an important difference between deferring a decision — ‘Do we need carpet on the stairs?’ — and making one. Charlotte argues that ‘Inaction is a choice; not choosing is a choice.’ One that can have consequences, she insists. Like when the house is freezing because the weather has turned. I saw her point on Super Saturday, when MPs voted not to decide — yet — on whether to back Johnson’s Brexit. The decision to delay (‘inaction’) may end up having more momentous consequences than approving the deal in the meaningful vote. Which is why I was annoyed with all those MPs and journalists who dismissed Super Saturday as ‘Soporific Saturday’. It wasn’t. We are just conditioned to see a decision to do nothing as a non-event, whereas it is often the main event — one that can leave your teeth chattering in winter.