Lord of the flies
Like those lost children in a dozen post-apocalyptic science fiction books and movies, this government seems to have a vague trace memory of what life used to be like. But its attempts to recreate the past are doomed to be but pale imitations based on dodgy recollections.
So, Mrs Thatcher was famously tough, driven and immune to criticism, so the government must now be nasty for the sake of being nasty and ignore every criticism no matter how justified.
The Thatcher government emasculated the trade unions, so that must be done again; when their power is no threat at all.
Mrs Thatcher cut taxes (actually she increased them but that is the legend) so the government must now cut taxes whether the country can afford it or not.
Now we are going to have a non budget, a fiscal event at which the government will fail to have its figures checked by the independent OBR.
Why? Well Mrs T was famously criticised by economists and ignored them - so this government should do the same; a sure sign of success.
No, it is because they are frit, clear and simple.
They know their maths doesn’t add up, they know they are gambling with other peoples money and they know that they need to silence the truth if they are to get away with it.
The government has the power to do this and get away with it, Johnson taught them that.
But frit, is not something that Margaret Thatcher was ever accused of. It shows what a pale imitation this government is.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.