O n nights like this a man can feel like he’s slipped through the looking-glass. I’m sitting on the sofa watching the TV, poised to make some gags about the prime minister and the mayor of Liverpool, who are themselves sitting on a sofa at No 10, poised to make some gags about what they are watching on TV.

Life doesn’t get more meta. The saving grace is that this episode of Gogglebox is a charity special for Stand Up to Cancer. Andy Burnham has requested that any journalist writing about the programme makes a donation to SU2C. I’m happy to oblige. Cancer is costing me a great deal more than money.

Meet Andy Bloke and his best mate, Steve Bloke. Two career politicians who still manage to look and sound vaguely normal. Not totally normal, mind. In real life, Steve Bloke would have said to Andy Bloke: “This is a total shithole you’re living in.” And Andy Bloke would have replied: “I know. It’s been a complete tip since Boris was here.…