After breakfast and the odd domestic chore, I finished off this week's Thursday Morning prayer video and then cooked a 'freezer' lunch, with the last portion of the defrosted Christmas turkey added to a tomato and mushroom sugo while Clare had a portion of fish pie from another occasion plus carrots and greens. I also used the last of a packet of couscous made from chick pea flour for convenience and speed. I'd forgotten quite how delicious it is as an alternative to potatoes or rice.
Later I walked for two hours, returning in time to hear the breaking news about goings-on in the Downing Street Cabinet offices during lockdown, dubbed by the media as the Partygate Scandal. Boris Johnston has yet to fall on his sword, but it seems his political support base is crumbling both in Parliament and in the constituencies.
A redacted enquiry report has identified a dozen separate events that flouted covid rules, one a party in the PM's own apartment. The police are investigating to see if there's enough evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service to press charges, some report content has been withheld from publication, so as not to prejudice investigations. The published report so far, speaks of 'a monumental failure of leadership', by several people. It also speaks of an office culture fuelled by alcohol consumption on the job. A key unanswered question which Parliament will have to address is whether or not the Prime Minister misled the House on several occasions in alleging there had no misconduct in the work place. It's been amazing to see how some parliamentarians remain steadfastly loyal to him despite all that is happening.
Also in the evening's news, a report about the appointment of Archdeacon Mary Stallard by Archbishop Andy as assistant Bishop of Bangor to support him in his additional episcopal duties in a large diocese. The previous Archbishop didn't need an assistant as Swansea and Brecon is not as extensive. The Welsh Bench of Bishops will now comprise four women and three men. It's good that he has chosen someone who is not from outside the province, who knows the diocese well and is well known within the diocese and in the wider Church in Wales.
Importing episcopal leadership from the CofE demonstrated lack of confidence in the quality of senior clerics in the Province. It hasn't yet been shown to be worthwhile. If it was thought necessary to import leadership from another Anglican province, I think we'd do better to consider candidates from another bi-lingual church without institutional ties to the state. It may be a century since the Church in Wales was disestablished, but the establishment mindset hasn't been entirely been left behind, and warps our self-perception and confidence.
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