Aha. My research suggests the Monster Raving Loony Party has never had a woman leader. They have, however, had at least one woman elected to public office.

Labour have had two stand-in party leaders: Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman. Between them they had less than a year (total) in the position, and only ever during a leadership contest.

I just checked: UKIP actually had two elected woman leaders - Diane James and Lois Perry. James lasted 18 days, Perry 34. But both were elected to be permanent at the time.

Major parties who have had a permanent woman leader: Tories, LibDems, Greens, SNP, Plaid, Sinn Fein, DUP, SDLP, Alliance. Even UKIP had one for about five minutes, so I’m going to chalk that up to Reform.

Major parties who have only ever had a stand-in woman leader: Labour.

I hope you also recover soon. Our bodies are amazing things but they don’t half bugger us up sometimes.

It’s given me an extra boost of sympathy for people who live with chronic pain.

Thank you. In fairness my right arm is doing a splendid job. I’m in awe of my right arm. The left … well, let’s just say it’s lucky it’s not my dominant arm or there’d be words.

Compressed nerve in (probably) the neck. Ten days now. I’m having physio, but no breakthrough yet.

I haven’t said much about it here, I don’t want to moan, but it’s particularly bad today.

You are essentially stuck between an ageing society desiring nostalgia and / or risk removal and a shrill social media cacophony demanding everything is sorted out now. With glib supposedly edgy one-liners far too often passing as serious commentary.

12 Nov. Things Which Make Me #Happy.

Sitting in the garden on a warm, blue-skied day, looking up and watching a distant aeroplane with a thin vapour trail behind it. Almost too distant to be heard, but moving so slowly across the sky like it was strolling and relaxed.

Streeting had one good moment in a brief but already hateful career as a minister, and suddenly he’s Jesus.

11 Nov. Things Which Make Me #Happy.

Rex the Runt. This turn of the century Aardman Animation series remains niche, but the wacky jokes and strong character writing are superb.

The whole of series 1 is here, but you’ll love or hate it within the first few mins.

youtu.be/c_qOOsfomrE?...

Not sure about that. It was my time in student politics that persuaded me I wanted nothing to do with politics after that.

10 Nov. Things Which Make Me #Happy.

If you travel to Durham by train and look out of the window as you approach the station, you see the cathedral emerge suddenly, towering over the city like a magnificent trophy. The effect is even more impressive at night.

Don’t threaten me with a g— oh, someone already did that one.

Yes. Then again, there are still human beings doing a lot of it, and *someone* has to get those jobs. So may as well shoot at the moon while you’re still young. Thank heavens they have backup in their parents.

My elder son (newly graduated) wants to be a journalist, my younger (choosing universities) a 3D animator. I don’t know what to tell them.