I used to know the world’s most reliable man. If he said he’d do something it wouldn’t get done, if he said he’d be somewhere at a certain time he’d fail to turn up, telling you he was only five minutes away meant he was in a different city. His combination of lies and incompetence was so consistent that it was possible to make plans based upon the opposite of what he said.

The General Election has reminded me of him. That the three main parties are launching their manifestos this week, starting with Labour today, is giving me more flashbacks.