Ange chalks up a win of sorts as Kemi’s last-minute substitute races downhill through his pet subjects
T
houghts and prayers with Alex Burghart. Not so long ago, the shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster was allowed out by Kemi Badenoch to stand in for her at prime minister’s questions when Keir Starmer was otherwise engaged. Though this may be a memory Alex wishes to forget. It wasn’t his finest hour. Angela Rayner ran rings around him without even breaking sweat.
So, on Wednesday, Alex found himself sidelined. Not wanted on voyage. From time to time, he would check his phone for messages. Just in case he had missed something. Willing his phone to ping with a late call-up. Nothing. He just had to suck it up. Take his place on the opposition frontbench and cheer on some other poor sucker. Maybe it was for the best. Some men are born failures. Some achieve failure. Some have failure thrust upon them. Alex is unique. A combination of all three.
Instead it was Chris Philp who got the job. Given the nod by Kemi shortly after breakfast and with next to no time to prepare. The last man standing who can be trusted to be loyal. Or more or less competent. In his own way. At least some of his neural pathways function as they should.
