If you are a man in power facing national scrutiny what do you do as a first instinct? Cherchez la femme was the Labour leader’s choice action.
I can only imagine that Sir Keir Starmer looked at his bookcase after finishing a disastrous TV appearance, searched desperately for an idea, and came up with ‘The Mohicans of Paris’. The bookcase has become the pandemic background de rigueur prop and source of ideas. I have bought a ton of books myself but not this particular book.
When you can’t talk to people because of pandemic imposed restrictions books become a substitute. They can’t talk back to you. You don’t have to listen to them either do you?
I can only imagine that Sir Keir Starmer’s magnificent replay of the French novel, first published in 1854, which brought into the mainstream the words and concept of ‘Cherchez la femme‘, is now a source of irritation to him because it hasn’t been well received. Though the author, Alexandre Dumas, may be smiling in his grave.
