Shaken by inflation? Be a Brit and show some grit, says Rishi

theguardian.com:

W e just need to hold our nerve. That was Rishi Sunak’s message to the country over the weekend. Time to remind us Brits to rediscover our inner stiff upper lip. To shrug off the increased, unaffordable mortgage repayments. To laugh as wage rises fail to keep pace with inflation. To quote Kipling as debt rises to more than 100% of GDP.

Easier for some than for others. If, like Sunak, you don’t have a mortgage then maybe you can feel detached about interest rate rises. Perhaps even be secretly pleased that you might be getting a healthier return on your multimillion-pound investments.

Harder still for those who have been told their public sector pay will be determined by wage review bodies. Only to be now told that the government reserves the right to ignore their recommendations. In a Total War on inflation, the War is more Total for some than for others. Only some will be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Still, it turns out that holding your nerve is also proving tricky for some Tory MPs. This time last year, when Boris Johnson – remember him? – was prime minister, the Labour lead over the Tories was just five percentage points. It’s now up to roughly 25 percentage points.

And this with the Conservatives having switched to a more competent, user-friendly leader. Someone who could be trusted to get things done. Who understood politics. Phew! A big relief to those Tories looking into the maw of oblivion.

But holding your nerve is now all that the government has left by way of policy. It’s the last idea still standing. Other than closing your eyes and hoping for the best. Though, come to think of it, that’s really just a variation on holding your nerve. Just not so openly desperate.

Nerve implies courage. When the reality