Inflation is only coming down because of the things we are doing, insists government that claimed there was nothing they could do to influence inflation when it was going up

According to the prime minister, Governments are solely responsible for changes to inflation, as long as those changes are in the correct direction.

Rishi Sunak has hailed a fall in inflation to 4.7%, seemingly unaware that the Bank of England had already said it was going to fall to that level anyway.

As part of his commitment to halve inflation this year, Sunak was interviewed after the latest figures were published, telling one reporter, “Before I decide if something we did is capable of changing the rate of inflation, I need to know in which direction it is going.

“If it’s going up, then no, the rise in inflation was entirely the fault of global factors over which we have no control – but if it’s coming down, then yes, it is entirely due to our prudent fiscal management and the steady economic hand of the Conservatives.

“If you don’t understand how that works, then you probably didn’t study maths until you were 18, sorry.

“So yes, all you need to do is tell me in which direction inflation is currently heading, and then I’ll tell you if we are responsible for it, or not.”

Critics have said that if the Tories will take the credit when things go right but absolve themselves of blame when they go badly, what actually is the point of them?

A question to which the prime minister replied, “Christ, don’t pull at that thread whatever you do.”

Twatspotting #3 Rishi – get the Mug here!