I wonder sometimes whether interactions like these are set-ups and about plausible deniability when assessing the potential popularity of a new policy. In this

I wonder sometimes whether interactions like these are set-ups and about plausible deniability when assessing the potential popularity of a new policy. In this scenario, the government gets to say - “ahhhh…it was just an offhand comment”, whilst checking whether it moves the needle for a demographic now quite hostile to the Conservative party. Also - not really journalism, but some form of propaganda. The owner/editor of this paper is a big supporter of Boris Johnson and was made a lord for his efforts. To which extent, I also sometimes wonder if this is how a population is softened up to bad policies: firstly it’s trailed as an outside possibility, before it’s progressively brought in from the cold, such that when it lands there is little emotional pushback, just resigned acceptance.