THERE is nothing like a general election to make me turn to TV box sets and music radio to avoid round-the-clock opinions of recovery, water charges and hospital trollies. I am pretty impatient at the best of times and am constantly irritated when politicians proclaim, in a moment of contrived humility, “I am/have been/would be proud to serve the people of ….” This always sounds to me like either, “You are actually bloody lucky to have me representing you” or, “I’m thankful to have the job because I am not sure what else I could do”.

There is a school of thought that you will not like in a horse what you do not like in yourself and maybe I am suffering a similar fate with politicians!