Johnson at No 10

This is not for the squeamish. Boris-fans will, of course, insist that Seldon is irredeemably biased against their hero, but his forensic dismemberment of any remaining confidence of the former PM’s abilities or suitability for the role is comprehensive. For those of us interested in public consultation, the most dispiriting aspect is to see how important decisions were taken at the highest levels of Government. With the possible exceptions of policy towards the Ukraine and the vaccine roll-out, policies and actions that should have been evidence-led (or influenced by consultation) appear to have been taken by whim, by personal self-interest or in a chaotic vacuum and ‘who shouts loudest’. As a primer in how not to do it, this cannot be surpassed. It is also a clear encouragement of finding better ways to embed good consultative practice in the UK – so as to become Boris-proof.