The staggering dullness of Sunak and Starmer

We’re now about halfway through the election campaign. I don’t know how we’re going to keep our excitement from bubbling over if this level of stimulation keeps up in the second half. The staggering mediocrity and dullness of Sunak and Starmer has lent this contest – despite its inevitably very different final outcome – the air of a no-score draw played between non-league Tier 11 teams. What terrible cosmic sin did the British public commit that we are lumbered with this pair of tailors’ dummies?

This was made even more apparent by last night’s Sky interviews. Sunak and Starmer shied from confronting one another head-on – perhaps mindful of anaesthetising the population – but if they thought they were in for an easy ride, Beth Rigby was having none of it. Rigby is one of those journalists who only really comes alive in the presence of boredom. Presented with a full plate of nothing but carrots, followed shortly after by a full plate of nothing but parsnips, she went for it with pluck.

Talking of Sky, like Starmer I didn’t have Sky TV as a child, because like Starmer I was a child in the 1970s, when there were three tv channels that didn’t start broadcasting until lunchtime.