The Liz Truss saga is a strange one. Has she genuinely moved to the far right? Is she trying, cynically or cleverly or both, repositioning herself there for a political comeback? Or is there something else going on? Cognitive dissonance is a powerful force. When we have two beliefs that we are aware strongly conflict we have to resolve it. You can do that rationally, but there are strong mechanisms to do it in other ways.

This year I'm listening to Bach. I am a thundering ignoramus about classical music. I wasn't brought up with it, never really had much in my record collection (kids, we used to have 'record collections'). #yearofBach For some reason, though, when I've heard some classical music and really responded to it and checked who it was by, the answer has often been Bach. So I thought I might go in big.

Phil Spector is a sharp and difficult case for the debate about whether an artist’s biography should or should not affect your judgment of their work. 1/ Phil Spector is a convicted murderer with a long, documented history of terrorising and abusing people, particularly women. 2/

75. You had a feud with Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, the capital city of a significant ally, probably because his name didn't sound very Trumpian. 76. Russia was credibly reported as having put a bounty on the head of every US soldier in the region. You have never once said a single thing about it, let alone criticise Russia.

50. You accused Barack Obama of never phoning the families of fallen soldiers. This was a lie. 51. THE RACISM. You used multiple Executive Orders to try to ban Muslims from entering the US.

25. One of your rare legislative achievements was a $1.5tn tax cut package which made the 400 richest Americans pay less tax than the poorest HALF of the population. 26. You set up a bogus university (Trump University) and had to close it paying out $25m to cheated students.

Hey @realDonaldTrump, you lost. In fact, the truth is you didn't just lose, you were DEFEATED. And here's why so many people around the world are relieved and overjoyed that you and what you stand for has been rejected. 1. THE ENVIRONMENT. You pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement, an imperfect but important step on the way to saving the planet. You did this only because it was signed by Barack Obama.

Thursday was the worst election night experience I've experienced. Worse than 1992, the previous worst. Worse even than Brexit 2016 because that was such a shock it took longer to process. But I'm disturbed by the crowing about Labour's losses from all sides. THREAD 1/ It was a total disaster and Corbyn must take the blame. His lacklustre and tetchy tv appearances didn't help. His disgraceful unwillingness to deal with antisemitism will be a permanent stain on his reputation. 2/

The magical electoral prospects of Boris Johnson are puzzling me. Obviously Johnson is a more relaxed campaigner than Theresa May (who isn't) and so, his supporters say, in an election, he will be in his element. But will he? 1/ We’ve only really seen him thrive in two contexts: (a) somewhere he can play the comic turn, the harmless buffer, sportingly allowing himself to be the butt of the joke (Have I Got News For You) or (b) surrounded by adoring fans (2018 Tory Party Conference). 2/

INT. EXPENSIVE HOTEL ROOM. THREE MONTHS AGO. CURTAINS DRAWN. BORIS JOHNSON IS KNEELING IN FRONT OF THE MINIBAR. ARRON BANKS AND LYNTON CROSBY WAIT FOR HIM TO POUR A DRINK. BANKS IS SMOKING. HE DOESN’T HAVE A CIGARETTE: HE’S JUST SMOKING

ARRON BANKS: You ready?
1/ BORIS JOHNSON: Ah Yes. Absolutely. Soon will be. Can’t rush these things.

POURS CAN OF BEER INTO GLASS.

Delicious tankard of foaming ale! Best of British and so forth.

BANKS AND CROSBY LOOK IMPASSIVE.
2/