The title of this post is, of course, taken from the TV series Minder, George Cole‘s signature role.

It is however the only appropriate phrase with which to greet the latest news from the soap opera that British politics has become. Yea, verily; Angela Leadsom – it seems only two seconds after anyone first came to hear of her – has abandoned her attempt to become Prime Minister.

So, not only is the architect of the catastrophe, Mr Irreponsible, quitting, his main nemesis been shown up for the buffoon he is and betrayed, his assassin defeated, and one of the last two standing has weaselled out (which is entirely in keeping with the way she weaselled in.)

Who leaned on her? Is Angela Leadsom really so thin-skinned that she cannot take criticism of a statement she made – on tape – to a journalist? Why has she suddenly decided she is no longer the person most suited to run the country? She seemed confident enough about her abilities a week or so ago.

This is the sound of the Tory party closing ranks, partly to presume upon Labour’s disarray, partly because it is just what Tories do. They can be ruthless in cleaving to what they see as their advantage. Its members may feel cheated of their chance to give their input but I suspect the Tory grandees have never been too keen on democracy – even democracy within the party – and may always have been looking for a way to engineer the result they wanted.

But…. To look at it another way it is actually a coup d’état. The Government has been removed and will be replaced with another, another that is liable to propel the UK even further rightwards, make it even more divided, even less fair, even more prepared to kowtow to the barons of the Press and their agenda, even less likely to address the concerns of those whose votes were suborned in order to enable it, even more likely to eviscerate – and even dismantle – the NHS and the BBC.

She may possibly have been the lesser of two evils but if the answer is Theresa May what the hell was the question?

And note, the wider electorate has been totally excluded from all this. I very much doubt there will be a General Election to sanction the change of government and due to the Fixed Parliament Act our new Prime Minister will have four years to do more or less as she wills. Her government’s majority of 12 in the House of Commons will not see serious inroads, unless there are by-elections. Tories, without the bee of the EU in their bonnets, won’t want to upset the apple cart.

On a happier note, congratulations to Andy Murray on winning Wimbledon for a second time. A thoroughly professional, accomplished performance.

Dunblane is of course the childhood home of tennis player Andy Murray.

As a result of his 2012 Olympic tennis win the town is now the proud host to a gold-painted postbox.

My photo of the wording is a bit blurred I’m afraid. The lower portions are written in Braille:-

No not Judi.

They were hyping it as the World Cup of tennis – and Great Britain won it for the first time in 79 years this afternoon.

Well I say Great Britain….

I don’t wish to minimise the efforts and input of team coach Leon Smith and the other players who contributed to elevating GB to the highest level of team tennis but in reality this was a triumph for a small town in Scotland (Dunblane beats the world!) – and more especially for one family.

I know some would say the very best players apart from one A. Murray had sat this year out and that it was only Belgium who stood in the way today but Belgium had made it to the final and had home advantage. Anyway as the old football cliché has it you can only beat what’s in front of you.

Really though, a win for the first time in 79 years speaks for itself.

Arguably the lioness’s share of the glory belongs to one woman, Judy Murray. Dame Judy, anyone?

So after all the shocks, Federer and Nadal losing early etc, etc, the men’s final was still contested between the top two seeds. Might as well not have bothered with the fortnight really.

But today arguably came the biggest shock.

A British man won the Wimbledon singles. A Scottish man won the Wimbledon singles.

It was a most unScottish performance; not in its doggedness and resilience, but in its failure to fail; his refusal not to win.

Well done Andy Murray. (And to Novak Djokovic, who had to be beaten and did not lie down.)

Andy had the great misfortune last year to be the first British man to win a Grand Slam since 1936 or so – yet it wasn’t the outstanding British sporting achievement of the year. How could it have outshone a first ever British win in the Tour de France?

Andy must be a shoo-in for Sports Personality of the Year this time, though.