Parliament returns next week so this weekend sees what has been traditionally as the August ‘silly season’ in the media to a close. Of course in 2024 with social media and 24 hour news there is no actual shortage of news.
Even so the habits of the right-wing media remain. In August 1997, the first summer of the newly elected Labour Government, PM Blair was away, and Deputy PM John Prescott was in charge. On 17th August 1997 Prescott was by the Thames launching a new environmental initiative. He was pictured addressing a Chinese crab in a jar. He named it Peter (Mandelson) and pondered if it would claw its way on to the Labour NEC.
Fast forward 27 years and its the first August of another Labour Government. There is a slight tweak to the silly season story. PM Starmer is not on holiday but Deputy PM Angela Rayner is. She has been pictured in the DJ Booth at an Ibiza nightclub. Cue much tut-tutting from the right-wing media, absolutely none of whom of course have taken a holiday in August.
If we are to be serious for a moment, issues of work-life balance, holidays and political theatre arise here. Mainly however just the perpetual behaviour of a mostly right-wing media. We know Tony Blair has been sockless in Sardinia but where is Boris Johnson taking his latest holiday?
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