How wonderful when pundits get it so magnificently wrong.

‘Twas brillig in Britain this week when David Cameron vanquished his frumious foes and went galumphing back to 10 Downing Street, chortling all the way.

The best part is not that the conservatives won, but that the pollsters were — again — so whifflingly off the mark.  Just as last September’s referendum on Scottish cessation — predicted “too close to call” — was defeated by an easy ten-point margin, similarly did Mr. Cameron’s party cut off the head of the opposition with a deft snicker-snack.

Isn’t it mimsy that life — especially politics — can still hold a few surprises?  Maybe we can learn not to vote for the front-runners just because they’re the front-runners.

Of course, the victorious Prime Minister shouldn’t get too beamish.  A resurgent Scottish National party promises renewed efforts to split what’s left of the British Empire.  To be sure, the next jabberwock lies in wait right around the corner.

As John Simpson, my political science professor at the University of Edinburgh, once remarked:

“The world of politics is like what you see when you lift up a great, flat stone and watch all the wee beasties running around beneath it.”

Callooh!  Callay!

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