Peter Rhodes on hankies, medals and the downside of being optimistic

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells handing back her CBE over the Horizon computer scandal is a reminder that these shiny gongs, and the social status that goes with them, are never really your own. Behave yourself or you may end up being obliged to post it back to Buckingham Palace, to a chorus of abuse from the peasantry. Think of it not as a gift but as a loan.

The CBE furore is one occasion when people-power outweighs rank and privilege, and our communal soul rejoices.

We Brits may have taken a while to wake up to the Horizon scandal but once it was recognised as an outrage to natural justice, the fury spread like wildfire.

Then what of the Liberal-Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, criticised for not intervening when he was postal-affairs minister in 2010-2012? From the outset he must have known that if he handed back his knighthood quickly, he might be able to move on in his political career. If he did not, it could mean the Lib-Dems entering the election contest with a damaged leader. The Horizon scandal could haunt his every interview, every public meeting, every exchange in the Commons. He could be either Sir Ed or Leader. But both . . ?

As the next general election approaches, watch out for politicians' responses to simple questions such as whether they will cut taxes or mothball the Navy. Two new ones are: “My working plan is . . .” and “My instinct is. . . .” Both create the impression that their plan is popular, while leaving enough wriggle room to allow something deeply unpopular once they're safely in Government. Me? My working plan is to be very, very wary.

Meanwhile at Bath University, researchers claim that an optimistic outlook, far from being good for us, can lead to poor decision-making. I dare say this is not an issue for Paula Vennells or Ed Davey.