On Thursday Guido was tipped that James Forsyth was going to Downing Street to become Rishi’s political secretary, such was the regularity of rumours of this kind that Guido told his source he doubted it and we didn’t even bother to query James. Oh well….

Forsyth had long been tipped to go to Rishi’s Downing Street because he was close to him, they were contemporaries at Winchester College, Sunak was best man at his wedding to Allegra Stratton, who herself was Director of Strategic Communications to Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor. They are reportedly godparents to each others children. Hence the regular rumours.

Guido wishes the cerebral Forsyth the best of luck in the circumstances. It is a tough job, Sunak has had no real bounce to speak of, the economy is in recession, the opposition is increasingly competent and confident. Starmer whilst boring, has the advantage that he isn’t scary to voters and the next election is likely to be a change election. Rishi needs to set a political narrative that gives people a reason to vote for him. Instead he is overseeing inflation and tax rises…

Cryptically the Spectator’s editor Fraser Nelson describes Forsyth as taking a sojourn, saying “the general election is not that long away, he’ll be looking for job opportunities”….