It was Margaret Thatcher who famously stated that in politics, the surprising at all times occurs.
And the most recent proof for that may be a sequence of weird twists within the political fallout over Scunthorpe steelworks and China.
First, the enterprise secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has unexpectedly carried out a shock U-turn on Chinese language involvement in metal.
And second, these sworn Brexit enemies the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK have agreed on one factor: they need nothing to do with China.
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So is Mr Reynolds’ U-turn the results of being nobbled by Quantity 10? It actually appears to be like prefer it, given what seemed to be a Downing Avenue slap-down on Monday.
Pressed by Sir Trevor, he stated: “I wouldn’t, no. I think steel is a very sensitive area.”
He even accused David Cameron – who famously took the Chinese language president for a pint in a pub – and George Osborne of being “far too naive” about China.
And when Sir Trevor stated: “There’s a high trust bar now, isn’t there?” Mr Reynolds replied: “Yes, we’ve got to recognise that.”
“I know there’s a lot of interest in the wider UK-China relationship, understandably so. But this was about this company.”
And he added: “I’m really keen to stress the action we’ve taken here was to step in because it was one specific company…”
In order that’s clear then? Or is it? What’s modified?
What modified is that on Monday, Quantity 10 insisted there was no block on China from important industries, even metal.
The prime minister’s spokesman stated: “We already a have a rigorous regime for assessing any involvement in critical infrastructure. That includes looking at the role of China in our supply chains and investment infrastructure.”
Bought that, Mr Reynolds? He has now, clearly.
Nigel Farage hasn’t. “The very thought the government could even contemplate another Chinese owner of British Steel is truly dreadful,” the Reform UK chief declared whereas campaigning in Durham.
“There’s no such thing as a private company in China. They’re all effectively under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. Clearly, the government has learned nothing if they’re prepared to say this.
“I’d go additional. I would not have China in our nuclear programme, wherever close to our telecoms or the rest. They aren’t our pals.”
Guess who agrees with that? “Giving one other Chinese language agency possession of British Metal could be like coming house to seek out your home ransacked after which leaving your doorways unlocked!” said an outraged Lib Dem MP, Calum Miller.
No doubt, the Lib Dems are outraged by China’s refusal to allow their MP Wera Hobhouse being denied entry into Hong Kong to visit her newborn grandson. And who can blame them?
Mr Farage also spoke about visiting the Scunthorpe blast furnaces last week, claiming: “Not, by the way in which, an out-of-character factor for me to do, as a result of I labored for 22 years within the metals enterprise earlier than getting concerned in politics.”
Actually? The metals enterprise? Properly, Mr Farage actually has some brass neck. He was, in actual fact, a commodities dealer within the Metropolis of London. OK, so presumably these commodities did embody metallic.
And what of the federal government? Regardless of Mr Reynolds accusing Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne of naivety, Sir Keir Starmer’s senior ministers have actively wooed China too.
Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, visited China in January to advertise “new opportunities” for funding. Ed Miliband, the vitality secretary, signed as much as shut ties with China on vitality throughout a go to final month and Douglas Alexander, the commerce minister, has been in China this week.
But former Tory chief Sir Iain Duncan Smith has insisted ministers should ban China from vital infrastructure and claimed former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee “would be turning in his grave”.
And what of Margaret Thatcher and her well-known quote? Properly, it was the Iron Woman herself who privatised British Metal within the Nineteen Eighties – and opened the door to Chinese language involvement.
