As the punditocracy whirs into motion over the leadership race, there was one voice speaking louder than all others: step forward the foxbeater-in-chief, Jolyon Maugham. With most of SW1 focusing on the candidates’ policies and credentials, it was left to Jolyon to lead from the front on pointless race-baiting commentary, tweeting on Friday:

“Do you think the members of your party are ready to select a brown man, Rishi?”

A comment he swiftly deleted, only to later claim he will take “no lectures” from a party led by Boris Johnson. Not content to make a fool of himself once, the same evening he had another go at it…

Again reaching for his phone, he then took a swing at the candidates’ sex lives. Quoting a Times story referencing “bondage, domination and sadomasochism“, Jolyon added:

Ladies and gentlemen, the modern Conservative Party. https://t.co/7VgF2KD3jD pic.twitter.com/5DjiwqyPUi

— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) July 9, 2022

The implication being that his tastes are far more dull and less kinky. Admittedly this is a bit of a surprise. Perhaps that fox would still be breathing if Jolyon had been more consistent on his opposition to beatings…