At the eleventh hour yesterday morning, in a small room, he called an emergency press conference to break the news that the Earth is very likely to be smashed to smithereens, possibly quite soon. They are like buses, he said. You wait for one for a long time, then four come along at once. He told us how, with Liberal Democrat guidance, our ghastly fate can be avoided for 4 billion. It could be an election-winning pledge.
Prophets are too often without honour in their own party.
One of them asked how he answered those who thought he was talking tosh. It did not seem to occur to Mr Opik that at such a moment other anxieties might be distracting them from their laptops. I am ashamed to report that among press colleagues were cynics and doubters. Mr Opik snorted. There was certain to be a major asteroid hit, perhaps soon, possibly on London.