10 July

I study political strategy. It used to be part of every child's education, in Ancient Greece. I think we're suffering from the loss of that. Right now, for example, you'll see daily pile-ons at people not following Covid rules. It's our unthinking, tabloid side, just as with the toilet paper 'panic buying' ideas (it's not panic buying). The only reason we have many Covid rules is that they're papering over the void left by an absence of leadership. Like being a bad teacher or parent, long lists of rules mean you've already lost, because you're not doing your job properly. The irony is, the politicians doing this call themselves libertarians, passionately against rules. They love us going after naughty people not following rules, because it takes the attention off their lack of leadership.