According to a report in The Times, Greg Clark, the business secretary, has suggested that date should be moved from Monday, 4 May, to Friday, 8 May, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day.

... as though the government hasn't got enough to do what with this infernal Brexit business, and the (dis)honourable member could be seen as rather insensitive further claiming that VE Day vanquished the rise of fascism in Europe - cannot he see what's happening in the UK and Europe (and USA) today?

To say nothing of the disregard the value that we folkies regard May Day in England, what with Rochester Sweeps, Hastings Jack, Whitstable weekend, to say nothing of the other festivals created with the rise of May Bank Holiday (which some Tories want shifted to Trafalgar Day for political ends). It's a pity that May Bank Holiday weekend hasn't picked up on some local historical tradition in the north-east to amplify and celebrate. I recall Gordon Newton, Keith Leech and myself coming up to London to lobby parliament on a Friday - not that you see anyone in the House on Friday being private member's bill day when MPs are away in their constituencies.

So why am I being cynical about parliament's capacity to govern 'for' ragher than despite the 'people'? Makes you wonder, dunnit?