The best comment I've heard so far on our recent election came from Billy Bragg last weekend. Billy's political convictions are well to the left of Tony Blair's, but in a political ramble between songs during his set at Beverley Folk Festival Billy said (as near as I can remember)

"You may think there's only an inch of difference between Labour and the Tories: but remember, a lot of people are going to survive on that inch."

J K Galbraith once said something similar. Near as I can remember it went like this:

"Politics is usually a matter of choosing between the unpalatable and the intolerable."

Well, I find many of the items on Chef Blair's menu rather unappetising - but it's a lot better than the bill of fare offered by his main opponents on June 7th. And maybe, like a good wine, he will improve with age. Chateau Blair 2001 might be a better vintage than the '97 turned out to be.

Wassail!