With the country looking forward to Rachel Reeves’s big moment next week – in much the same way you would look forward to root canal treatment or a trepanning – it was no surprise that this week’s PMQs focussed on tax and leaks. That the government seems to conduct policy formulation by Chinese Whispers is only half the irritation. The other half is how angry they get when this is pointed out.

The Prime Minister acts genuinely hurt when anyone brings up the actual state of the country

‘Every week she comes along and speculates and distorts,’ yelled Sir Keir when Mrs Badenoch dared mention the disastrous Income Tax U-turn of last week. The Prime Minister acts genuinely hurt when anyone brings up the actual state of the country. I know TS Eliot said that ‘humankind cannot bear much reality

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