For 35 years, as arts editor of the Liverpool Echo, I spent much of my time as a theatre and film critic professionally assessing the endeavours of actors: essentially fantasists who spent their lives in a world of make-believe by pretending to be someone else.
Which also probably explained why so many of them were socialists.
And we can all identify with those vain-glorious television and radio interviews when actors are asked why they have accepted a particular role and so often reply: “When I read the script, I just couldn’t say no.”
Which invariably also means “and neither could my wallet.”
But away from the fantasy world of acting, there’s a political and practical reality which begs exactly the same response.
Read the Labour script, and what thinking Conservative-minded individual, driven by the principles of self-sufficiency and thrift, could not say no to opposing it?
And neither can their wallets.
As we speak, the conspiratorial clique of just nine Sefton Labour councillors - the dynastically-driven so-called cabinet - are meeting to consider inflicting a maximum allowed 4.99% rise in council tax for the coming 12 months.
Which might be okay for them - having granted themselves an above inflation increase of 6% in personal allowances.
Meantime, for most decent, hard-working people, it’s a mounting liability: an annual mugging ritual which adds up to over a 40% rise in council tax since 2012.
And to what purpose?
Absolutely no gain. Rather, all money goes down the drain.
