When the European Union agreed a second extension to Brexit, the European Council’s president, Donald Tusk, offered some advice: “Please, don’t waste this time.” On Tuesday, British Political Twitter became obsessed with whether the UK’s housing secretary had two ovens in his kitchen or four.
For those who may have been too busy to have noticed, the story began on Sunday when James Brokenshire, the Conservative MP and Cabinet minister, gave an interview to the Sunday Times.
It appears to be part of a trend for would-be Tory leaders to “parade their wives and policies”, as one previous contentious headline had it.
But it was an in-depth Daily Mail profile of the kitchen that really put the bellows under it ...
“The only extravagance is typically practical: two double-ovens and two dishwashers,” Cathy Brokenshire, wife of the minister, said.
“I hate it when, come Christmas, there’s not enough room in the oven.”
This seemed to prompt a thrilling discourse on social media ...
As Twitter started to take more interest than perhaps was healthy, the minister made an intervention ...
Which just turned the temperature up even higher ...
There was then some debate over whether it was in fact FOUR ovens rather than the TWO Brokenshire claimed ...
But, wait, was there also a cover-up afoot?
And, yes, it became a an actual Westminster talking point ...
Apropos of nothing, a reminder that the UK leaves the EU on October 31 and there is still not sign of an agreement among MPs to avoid leaving on a ‘no-deal’ basis.