Predictions certain to ruffle a few feathers in political circles

NORMALLY at this time of year I go out and start collecting.

There are certain things you need, after all, if you want to predict the future. The eye of a toad, the wing of a bat, that sort of thing.

But everything is in scarcer supply this year. All I’ve been able to do is add a few sticks of celery and a rather battered onion to the carcass of a well-picked turkey, and it’s been bubbling away on the stove for a few hours now. It’s creating a rather nice smell in the kitchen, I’ll admit.