Blame it on Blair – the unifying cry that covers all

Fresh from their £1billion deal with the Government, the DUP’S 10 MPS lounged in the Commons, glistening with satisfaction. On the benches in front of them, the SNP glowered. “Each DUP MP”, spluttered Alison Thewliss (SNP, Glasgow Central), “is now worth more than Cristiano Ronaldo!”

Delighted by the comparison, the DUP cheered and pumped their fists. Mercifully, they refrained from celebrating in the manner that Ronaldo himself does. The public may not be adequately prepared for the sight of Nigel Dodds tearing off his shirt, strutting topless towards the nearest TV camera, and baring his teeth like an enraged Chihuahua.

It was the first Prime Minister’s Questions since the election and the main topic was Grenfell Tower. Theresa May had a point she wanted to make – but she had to make it carefully.

“There is a much wider issue here”, she said. “It is an issue that has been continuing for many years – for decades … We will look at why it is that over decades, under different governments and different councils, material has been put up on tower blocks that is non-compliant with building regulations …”

Note the words in italics. Many years. Decades. Different governments and councils. Yes, this was Mrs May’s subtle way of saying: “Don’t blame the Tories. Or at least, don’t just blame the Tories. Labour are to blame too.”

Jeremy Corbyn, however, was undeterred. The horror at Grenfell Tower, snapped the Labour leader, “exposed the disastrous effects of austerity”. The overall theme was: blame the Tories and their Tory cuts.

Suddenly, everyone seemed to be shouting “Shame!” at each other.

Mrs May rose. It seemed she’d had an idea. “The cladding of tower blocks did not start under this Government,” she said. “It did not start under the previous Coalition government. It began under the Blair government!”

A mature statesman seeks to defuse conflict by promoting compromise. I suspect this was what Mrs May was attempting.

After all, if there’s one way to bring Tories and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour together, it’s to blame everything on Tony Blair.