Actor, writer and comedian taking a wry look at Lancashire life...

Last week I spoke about the way in which politicians are still holding on to this idea that they are exempt from the rules they enforce upon us.

How, in the normal world, if you were to lie or break the rules, you would be fired. In politics, you get promoted.

In terms of societal morale, it’s disheartening to see such unmerited rising through the ranks.

The insistence on lying, without remorse, seems a desirable trait.

It reminds me of a line from a Rwandan author I once read, who said: “Politicians are not afraid of their mistakes, they are afraid their mistakes won’t succeed.”

The remarks from the Prime Minister’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings in relation to what Boris Johnson said about the over-80s during the initial stages of the pandemic has left a bitter taste in all of our mouths.

It’s a tough, albeit unsurprising, pill to swallow at the best of times.

The loss of life is never a subject to be flippant about.

Last week, me and my family lost one of the kindest and loving women in our lives.

My Auntie Sharon passed away quite suddenly and has left a huge hole in all our hearts.

Her equally loving and kind partner Martin has been left without his soulmate and her children and us, her family, have lost a loving mother, aunt, sister and daughter.

To hear such remarks by the leader of our country, to talk so flippantly about death in this way, just goes to show how out of touch Johnson really is.

My Auntie Sharon worked extremely hard her entire life - always gave and never took.

Where our Sharon worked hard and received no reward, Johnson flaps around and receives top rewards.

This is the nature of Britain at the moment.

My point is this ­- let us not be fooled by the tongue-in-cheek and bumbling persona that this Prime Minister upholds.

Behind it is something far more sinister and calculated.

To be able to make jokes about the deaths of thousands of people, and ultimately, the pain carried by those left behind, shows this man is not of the people, and certainly not for them.

To my Auntie Sharon, I raise a glass, and thank her for being an example of how to be human, during a time when our ‘leaders’ showcase the opposite.

And to anyone else who has lost loved ones in recent times, my heart goes out to you.