Two things can be simultaneously true. First, that Joe Biden has been dragged, against his will, to this decision. And second, that he has shown true leadership, putting to one side his ego and ambition for the greater good.
History, particularly when played out in real time, is complicated in that way. But one thing is clear. With a single statement, power has seeped away from Biden and towards his vice-president, Kamala Harris, whom he endorsed last night. And while Harris has not been formally anointed by the Democrats, it appears improbable that anyone can defeat her in an abridged contest.
Of the many challenges now facing Harris, the first must be to assume the mantle of inevitability. With every endorsement from elite Democrats, she is doing just that. Simultaneously, she ought to turn her attention to the Republican nominee. Donald Trump has been preparing for a re-match with Biden for nearly four years. He won’t get it. Instead, Trump is now the old man in the race who forgets people’s names and is more than capable of talking nonsense. He is also, of course, a convicted felon.
Biden seemed set to lose in November. Harris may not be the perfect candidate, but she can win.
Labour’s pay tightrope
Back in Britain and politics is a little more prosaic. The new Labour Government faces the first of many spending choices, this time on public sector pay. Reports over the weekend suggest that independent pay review bodies are set to recommend 5.5 per cent rises for teachers and some 1.3 million NHS staff. That is above inflation and more than the Treasury was believed to have accounted for.
Should the Government accept this recommendation, it will set a template for future agreements across the public sector. Indeed, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson suggests that the 5.5 per cent figure, were it to be replicated across the board, would see the Treasury scrambling to find an additional £10 billion. Given the parlous state of the public finances, difficult choices must be made.
The first Labour Budget in 14 years, pencilled in for this autumn, is likely to provide an indication of how the Government intends to walk this particular tightrope.
Deflated by the weather
Cloud cover, threats of rain and plummeting mercury – the heatwave retreated as quickly as it arrived. Indeed, the weather again got the better of the capital’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta, which had to be cancelled.
Still, Londoners seeking uncomfortable warmth can always ride the Central line for a few stops.
