The latest in Sir Keir’s long litany of abstentions saw his party simply not bother to vote in the crucial tiering system division last night. As Her Majesty’s loyal Opposition chose to not oppose, perhaps that title should not be given to Mark Harper, chair of the Covid Recovery Group. Boris reportedly described Starmer’s actions to the Cabinet as “absolutely invertebrate”. The whole episode reminded Guido of how Boris described the London Assembly when they voted to not ask questions of his Budget plans….

“Great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies…”

Starmer has defaulted to abstain when it comes to any contentious argument; from the rule of six to covert intelligence legislation, the curfew to the Veterans Bill – which Sir Keir was so keen on abstaining over he sacked the three frontbenchers who actually chose to vote. Sir Keir thinks he doesn’t need to make any decisions and can run on an unblemished, if paper thin, record in 2024.  Guido suspects that’s not as clever a plan as he thinks it is…