What a strange summer this has turned out to be: no rain and no politics. As we enter what the broadcast media are calling the fifth 'heatwave' of the year – a heatwave is what used to be known as a hot day or two – the green, green grass has become yellowy stubble. And the sphere of public life is similarly arid and uncanny. While it's usual for the party political world to take a breather in the summer months, the unique circumstances of the switch of prime minister just before the rain stopped falling has given summer 2026 a spooky quality. It feels like we're all in a dream world. ✍️ Gareth Roberts Article | | @OldRoberts953