Theresa May’s Legacy

Theresa May was the last person to leave the party. Kept saying she was off, edging towards the door, then having just one more glass of wine. We wanted to tidy up, go to bed, but couldn’t get rid of her. Finally, she’s called her cab and is off.

Despite everything, it’s hard not to admire her, in the way you admire a boxer lasting through two more rounds despite having his eye hanging out of the socket and all his teeth on the floor. He still lost, but wow he put up a fight!

Like many people, I found it hard not to feel sorry for her at a human level. I guess for me it was partly her very sweet looking husband. I wouldn’t be happy if everyone was bitching about my wife, trying to screw her over, and mocking her in public. So maybe I felt more sorry for him. They’re a nice couple. I like to imagine them enjoying their hill walking holidays. And from that perspective, I felt sorry for her.

But a year ago when I wrote about feeling sorry for Theresa May, I said that she never had my vote, but now she also didn’t have my sympathy. That was after remembering how sinister she had been as Home Secretary, and the Windrush scandal. Her own attempt to control the narrative as she now sinks into ignominy as an historical character was the list of achievements she gave in her resignation speech. ‘No really, look at the good things I did!’ she asked us. It was such a…