While I have only contempt for his party’s decision to prorogue parliament so it could hold a leadership contest, congratulations are nevertheless owed to the prime minister—especially for playing a bad hand well. Let’s hope that trick continues this week in Washington.

Speaking of party leadership, and lest you write my comment above about one party down to tribalism, let’s consider the other: are we all going to tolerate the impolite fiction that losing one’s seat in parliament isn’t a career-ending verdict? We all live for second chances, but there are no do-overs. This is not a game.

Here is a gentle thought from actor Brian Cox on a recent appearance on Gyles Brandreth’s Rosebud podcast:

Memory is so important because memory is where we hold people. And they’re still alive in our memory. And we should validate that a bit more than we do.

Here’s an extraordinary act of self-awareness from actor Jameela Jamil—that everyone from across the political spectrum ought to emulate—from her recent appearance on David Tennant Does a Podcast With…

…recognizing that I was part of the problem of the left, of the liberals, you know, like we are just such aggressive and intolerant people. We’re all like diversity (but not diversity of thought) and inclusion, but not if you don’t, like, abide by everything that we say. Like, we’re just, like, we’re a cult. And I think that we are—I think our hearts are in the right places, but I think the way that we behave is sanctimonious, and it is hypocritical at times, and I think we push the very people that we most need to convert or open the minds of away. We push the people who already agree with us away. The way that we look at things is if someone can agree with you on 95% of the same things, and if they disagree with us on one thing, that entire 95% gets thrown away. We just kick you out and we ostracize you and punish you and shame you. We are an off-putting group.