I have lived through both sad and joyful Eastertides, in many parts of the world, but never one so strange nor so confusing. The Christian message remains as it has done for a couple of millennia, but almost everything else is full of uncertainty.

The doors of both our cathedral and parish church have been locked shut for a month and I – together with my wife, her nurses and carers – have been in voluntary isolation (or under house arrest as I call it) in our home for a month, feeling grateful for our little courtyard garden, particularly this sunny Easter weekend.

At least we can cautiously rejoice at the continuing recovery of Prime Minister Boris Johnson from the coronavirus which had landed him in the intensive care unit at St. Thomas' Hospital leaving Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, in his role as First Secretary of State, leading the Government in his absence.

Raab has attracted a good deal of criticism for seeming hesitant, but he has little choice other than to maintain the policy on which the Government was set before the coronavirus struck down Mr Johnson, which was in any case based on scientific advice that has scarcely changed.

The Labour Party has learned at least one clear lesson from the general election of last December by rejecting the Corbynista candidates and turning to Sir Keir Starmer who is said to be "soft Left" and in the mould of Harold Wilson. He is a graduate of Reigate Grammar School and of Leeds University, a lawyer who has served as Director of Public Prosecutions.