Any cunning plans for sale?

+With only two slight amendments I thought this description of the subject of John Berger's Art and Revolution (Verso, 2025 p.16) sums up a certain character rather well: 

'For his enemies his intelligence is transformed into cunning. And once again his manner can encourage the illusion. He gives the impression of a man driven by deep inner compulsions, who nevertheless misses everything of what is happening around him. A man who warily but undeviatingly pursues his own ends. He is restless, always moving, always checking. He sleeps little. During his waking life he arrives every few hours at abrupt decisions which immediately force him to interrupt what he is saying or doing. It could easily seem that he is constantly plotting. In fact these sudden changes are the result of ideas evaporating so quickly in his mind that suddenly, unexpectedly, he has to act to relieve the pressure.' 

No prizes for guessing to whom this description, with its slight alterations (‘everything’ for nothing and ‘evaporating’ for proliferating) could so aptly apply. Apologies to the subject of Berger’s original comment, one Ernst Neizvestny, a Soviet-era artist. 

The feverish speculation about Starmer's demise is not to be satisfied just yet - I hold to the view that this will happen in May. Quite apart from the fact that there isn't as yet a clear challenger, Starmer's camp will be buoyed by evidence from elsewhere that beleaguered parties can revive their fortunes, albeit in different circumstances (both of which I have to say did require leadership changes). Carney's victory in Canada last year upset all predictions, and just now we have seen a new leader of the Liberal Democrats in Japan take her party to a record victory, when only four or five months ago they were slated for a heavy defeat. So electoral fortunes can change in short order. No.10 may take some comfort from this, but as I say in both cases new leaders were called upon to deliver the result. Is it conceivable that Starmer could become a new leader without anybody noticing he's the same befuddled individual? John Major managed to get re-elected against the odds, but our lad sadly doesn't have a tenth of the charisma of Major. 

​+I'm in Manchester as I write, enjoying the damp murk. The rain, although a bit intermittent is still doing its best to live up to Manchester's damp reputation. This was romanticised in Adolphe Valette's (1876-1942) misty paintings of the city where nothing is in focus. With a by-election due in Manchester in a couple of week's time, I think a new focus must shortly be found. As yet, no-one knows what shade of murk it's going to be. As ever, a visit to the People's History Museum is fruitful, as the poster illustrated above shows. Judging by the rhetoric of today's Defence Secretary John Healey, this kind of image must be tantamount to a capital crime. Apparently the UK is ready for hard war practically anywhere. Our generals are looking forward to a lot of extra pips in their budgets