As you see this, gentle reader, I’ll be back in the United Kingdom, but, as I write this, I’m on a Eurostar heading back after a week of looking out of train windows, eating local food, drinking local beers and wines, and admiring the architecture (or not, in the case of Wiener Neustadt) of a variety of European towns and cities. It has been reassuringly relaxing, if not exactly dull.

But beyond the cocoon of a train, the world has been a tempestuous place, with on again, off again tariffs, all sorts of previously unthinkable actions, and a sense that, perhaps, putting someone in charge of the world’s largest economy who is, let’s put it politely, somewhat mercurial, may not be entirely the best strategy. It is a reminder that solid competence, whilst not likely to inspire campaigners, might actually have long-term benefits.

One of the criticisms of the European Union was the glacial speed of its decision making. Yet it was almost entirely predictable, because when you have to achieve unanimity or, at least, rather more than a simple plurality, the deal making is easy to assess. And business, and the markets generally, like that. The alternative, as is being demonstrated currently, is not quite as popular (unless you have an inside track…). Predictability also has its advantages when it comes to things like the law and how it is applied, as it really does help in agreeing contracts if you know that they can be enforced if necessary.

All of this is, and probably should be, rather dull. It requires rather unemotional bureaucrats to operate the systems, enforce the rules, ensure, as far as possible, a level playing field for all participants. It’s the reason why people like me talk about the place of the bureaucracy in our society and why it’s best if we go pretty much unnoticed.

And, of course, a bureaucracy seldom just springs up of its own accord. It exists because politicians insist on creating new tasks to be performed by someone. Which is why I am often troubled by politicians saying that there are too many bureaucrats without asking the question, “what do they do, and are there things we now don’t want done?”.

That’s not to say that the status quo must be maintained. Technology and the emergence of new ways of working have changed our Civil Service beyond recognition, as paper has been replaced by the Cloud, letters by e-mail, and people are encouraged to self-file. At the same time, politicians pass more laws, virtually all of which require someone to administer them, and the Civil Service adjusts and adapts.

But, as I say, it’s all a bit dull. That is, right up to the point where it stops working…

Meanwhile, local elections across England are reaching a crescendo of activity, with the recent improvement in our polling figures offering rather greater optimism. How any pundit is meant to predict the outcome when four parties are within perhaps as little as seven percentage points is anyone’s guess. And I notice that Ben Walker’s Britain Elects model had a couple of “glitches” this week even as it is often a decent guide.

And we are honoured with a contribution from the noble Lord Pack, drawing our attention to what might be the biggest prize on offer next month. He might want you to do something…

We’ve also got an interesting piece on the intersection of AI with the neo-right, and how this is impacting the creation of art.

But my train is about to reach St Pancras, and I’ve still got a rail replacement bus to catch so, until next time…

* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice. He might also be a bureaucrat…