It is of course exactly one year since the 2025 general election and that has been marked by a rather hot week in Westminster. It is not just the weather that has been scorching, but the tempers of some colleagues appear to have been as hot as the centre court at Wimbledon.
On Tuesday I was in the Chair for the stunning intervention from Minister Stephen Timms, mid way through the debate on welfare, when he suddenly stood up at the Despatch Box to withdraw Clause 5 of the Bill in its entirety. In 15 years I am not sure I have ever seen that happen before, but as a concession strategy it worked, and the Bill goes forward to the Committee Stage, which at one point looked very unlikely.
That was nothing compared to the drama of Wednesday. Whatever a colleague's political views, and the Chamber is much more varied in opinion than it has ever been, it is impossible to forget that there are 650 people, real live human beings, who are in there just trying to do their best for their constituents and the country. So yes, we might get very heated, and fight over what is the best way, and I may not agree with the Chancellor on everything, but she is still a person, and too often people forget that.
I know I have borne my fair share of personal not political attacks. It isn’t nice, and it isn’t necessary. The Chancellor has had a very difficult week, and on a personal level my heart goes out to her. She has a phenomenally tough job, in the public eye at all times, and the last few days will have been very painful for her.
Meanwhile back in the constituency it is the Mayor’s picnic this weekend, I seem to recall monsoon weather last year and having to shelter in the rotary tent with Clive Collier’s birthday cake. Hopefully this year the sun will shine and we will be looking for sunshades not umbrellas, although I do hope Clive brings cake again.