Mayhem

Desordem (disorder) in Portuguese. It epitomises the state of UK politics this week. I now look at Theresa May as an awkward and emotionally unavailable auntie who needs a strong hug after a run of bad luck. Of course I have to set aside bubbling anger about the work she did as Home Secretary to create the hostile environment for immigrants. But if I can do that I think she deserves credit for the resilience and perseverance that she's demonstrated during this Brexit fiasco. Many others would have thrown in the towel long ago and it's doubtful that any other Tory politician could have done a better job, given the alternative horrors that put themselves forward as party leader after the referendum in 2016, and the impossibility of uniting different views. I would be sad if she was vilified in the future, whenever this debacle ends.

There is so much to criticise about the situation that it's impossible to do it succinctly. Two grave errors blare out. Fundamentally and firstly, a question with such layers of complexity should never have been put to the electorate. Most of us didn't possess the knowledge or context to decide on a reductive yes/no vote. Secondly, the entire process of agreeing on the deal that we will forge ahead with was flawed from the start. It isn't possible to align in one document the views of the 'Brexit means Brexit - we've just gorra get out' crowd and those who were staunch Remainers to begin with. I remember reading the details of the final deal that May brought back from the EU and thinking it did a reasonable job at appeasing the massively divergent national interests and opinions. Unfortunately 'compromise' isn't a word that has been high on the agenda since May brought the deal back for discussion with UK MPs.

All of it is just a hugely depressing waste of resources given the deepening crises of so many other issues in the UK, which have received next to zero attention for 2.5 years.

Mozambican colleagues were very keen to talk about this topic when I arrived at the office this morning. So as I lunched on a hamburger and strawberry milkshake at this café, politics were on my mind.