Mel strides out to bat for Rish! after PM’s shortest day

‘He didn’t run away,’ said the minister, but that’s precisely what Sunak did. He cared so much he couldn’t be bothered to stay

Give that man a stiff drink. Better still, give him a day pass to Michael Gove’s favourite crack den. Anything to blot out the memories of the last few hours. Just about the only consolation that Mel Stride can take from his appearances on the Trevor Phillips and Laura Kuenssberg shows is his almost total anonymity. Even close friends don’t always recognise him in the street. Fewer still would be able to tell you that he is the work and pensions secretary.

But what Mel does have going for him is his loyalty to a lost cause. That must count for something. And he is quite good-natured with it. He is the sort of bloke with whom it would be quite nice to spend a day at the cricket. Just an average man doing an average job. Which means he ranks quite highly in the current Tory hierarchy. Rishi Sunak can’t buy that level of mediocrity at present. So when the call came out that No 10 was looking for a fall guy for the Sunday shows, Mel was quick to volunteer. This too shall pass.