I AM thinking of putting myself forward to be a Secretary of State; after all how hard can the job be?

Judging by the last few weeks anyone can do it.

Prime Minister: “Mr Leigh, why do you think you could be Foreign Secretary?”

Me: “Well, I have travelled to a few different countries.”

Prime Minister: “Mr Leigh, what makes you think you could be Health Secretary?

Me: “I have an O Level in Biology and I have had all my COVID jabs.”

Prime Minister: “What makes you think you could be Transport Secretary?”

Me: “I can drive and I have travelled on trains, planes and boats.”

Come to think of it I may be over-qualified. There’s another problem of course; I am not a Member of Parliament. I am making light of the recent events, but sadly there is nothing funny about it, far from it.

What we have seen at Westminster recently would be no way to run a parish council, let alone a Government, and especially not during an economic crisis and the terrifying global threats we face.

The merry-go-round of Ministers in the last few months has been like an episode of the BBC comedy, Yes Minister!

The current Business Secretary was the Transport Secretary until a few months ago, and for a matter of days in between he was Home Secretary.

Yes, we had a Home Secretary for less than a week! The person in charge of our national security was only in post for six days. He was appointed because his predecessor had been forced to resign for infringing the rules regarding the use of a personal email account.

She was Home Secretary for just under two months, before being re-appointed to the role less than a week after her resignation. Sir Humphrey Appleby, the civil servant in Yes Minister, would be struggling to stifle roaring laughter at this point.

But it’s no laughing matter. These departments of state are supposed to decide, direct and implement policy. How can any of that have been going on in any meaningful way over last few months?

The NHS is struggling through a never-ending crisis; everyday those on the frontline are desperately trying to save lives. Yet the people at the top have been playing pass the parcel with the job.

By the way, the previous Health Secretary, who is now Environment Secretary, was only in post for just under two months.

She was replaced by her predecessor, who himself was only in the job for two months first time round. Are you managing to keep up? I’m not sure I am.

Recently I was talking to a hugely successful entrepreneur who is now using his wealth and expertise to help small start-up businesses to succeed.

He told me one of the secrets to success in business is to surround yourself with people smarter than you.

He told me that before he appoints someone to a senior role they are rigorously tested to ensure they have the necessary skills and qualifications for that job.

They go through a transparent and detailed interview process; crucially they are not just given the job on a nod and wink.

The entrepreneur told me he was astounded that at Government level someone can be in charge of transport policy one week and suddenly be in charge of national security or the NHS the following week.

Over the years I have reported on many chaotic political situations. Not one individual political party has the monopoly on shameful behaviour either.

I wasn’t sure things could get much lower than the parliamentary expenses row which involved MPs from all parties. Do you remember the claim for a duck house? The claims for second homes which were not second homes?

The list was endless and seriously damaging to the reputation of Parliament.

I remember one Devon MP was baffled by the public outrage over his expenses claims. He put it down to jealousy, saying he had a large house which people likened to Balmoral.

We have had scandals involving politicians for generations. Some of them got punished; some of them got promoted. Each time it happened there was another severe dent in the battered veneer of parliamentary respectability.

Over the years, Governments of all colours have misled Parliament and by extension have misled the people who put them there: us the poor old taxpaying public.

Now it seems the great offices of state are thrown around like confetti. It’s a truly sorry state of affairs.

As I have observed politics from a professional point of view and as a citizen, I have increasingly come to the conclusion that it is totally focused on itself.

It’s about how to exploit the mistakes and the incompetence of your opponents, whichever side you are on.

Political debate is often only about politics itself rather than how to make a positive difference.

Yes, there are good decisions made by whichever party is in power. Decisions that enhance our lives and make a lasting difference.

That is a precious and powerful part of being in politics, but it is also very fragile. So much of the good can quickly be undone by the thoughtless acts of so few.

Throughout my career I have been fascinated by politics; the power games, the manoeuvrings, the personalities and the policies. But perhaps those of us in the media have to share some of the blame for turning politics into a soap opera.

In this fast-moving world of news, we are all hungry for the next drama, but it’s not a game. Life has got all too real and too scary to play fast and loose with political power.

I just hope all sides learn from the damage that has been done in recent times, but history tells us there will probably always be scandal, betrayal and chaos in politics.

Is it too much to ask that it doesn’t happen every 24 hours though?

Who knows? Next time I write this column I might be Chancellor. I am no good at maths, but I know my way around a calculator if that’s any help.

Bye for now.