Utility Week

Community to his favourite weapon, the awkward metaphor. Thus last week he likened himself to the Incredible Hulk in the UK's e orts to break free from the "manacles" of the EU. "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets," he told the Mail on Sunday. It prompted Mark Ru alo, the American actor who plays the Hulk in the movies, to take to Twitter to remind Johnson that "mad and strong can also be dense and destructive". This brought the story to the attention of CNN and made sure that the whole world was aware that the British prime minister had managed to get himself into the position where he was being corrected by the actual Hulk. Let's hope Jean-Claude Junker – who he was due to meet the very next day to ask for an improved withdrawal deal – doesn't read the English papers. Or watch CNN. Or that he can take a joke. You've gotta laugh Disconnector has a new hero, a certain Josh Thompson, who until recently worked for advertising agency FCB in Auckland. It so happens that New Zealand law requires employers to allow work- ers to be accompanied by an "emotional support person" Disconnector Publishing director, Utilities: Ellen Bennett, t: 01342 332084, e: ellenbennett@fav-house.com; Content director: Jane Gray, janegray@fav-house.com, t: 01342 333004; Editor: Suzanne Heneghan, t: 01342 332106, e: suzanneheneghan@fav-house.com Digital editor: James Wallin, 01342 332015, jameswallin@fav-house.com; Intelligence editor: Denise Chevin, 01342 332087, denisechevin@fav-house.com Energy correspondent: Tom Grimwood, t: 01342 332061, e: tomgrimwood@fav-house.com; Policy correspondent: David Blackman, e: davidblackman@ fav-house.com; Reporter: Adam John, t: 01342 332069, e: adamjohn@fav-house.com; Water correspondent: Ruth Williams, e: ruthwilliams@fav-house.com, t: 01342 332069 Editorial assistant: Greg Jones, t: 01342 332102, e: gregjones@fav-house.com; Production editor: Paul Newton, t: 01342 332085, e: paulnewton@fav-house.com; Business development manager: Ben Hammond, e: benhammond@ fav-house.com. t: 01342 332116; Business development executive: Sarah Wood, e: sarahwood@fav-house.com. t: 01342 332117 Conference sponsorship manager: Sophie Abbott, t: 01342 332062, e: sophieabbott@fav-house.com; General enquiries: 01342 332000; Membership enquiries: Peter Bissell, t: 01342 332057, e: peterbissell@fav-house.com. 2,500 Average circulation Jan–Dec 2018 Membership subscriptions: UK £769+VAT per year. Overseas £781 per year. Contact Peter Bissell on: 01342 332057 Utility Week is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), the regulator of the UK's magazine and newspaper industry. We abide by the Editors' Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact the Editor. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you want more information about IPSO or the Editors' Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk. Rouhani is very mean. Iran will be TOTALLY DESTROYED. Sad!!!" Those readers interested in the coming apocalypse can keep abreast of developments on a rolling news channel – or maybe Instagram. You won't like me when I'm mad… In failing to give Boris Johnson the early general election he craves, political pundits warned that Labour was playing a dangerous game since it's a lot easier for the government of the day to lead the news agenda than the opposition, and they can do so in front of a press unhindered by the rules of impartiality that come into force once an election has formally been called. It would e ectively be a free run for Johnson to make his case to the nation. They needn't have worried. The news coverage so far has mainly comprised Johnson being interviewed in various Northern marginals while passers-by shout insults at him in the background and he pretends not to hear. Either that, or reversion Missile tweet brings new meaning to hits At long last the country got some welcome distraction from the interminable saga that is Brexit courtesy of Iran, which it is suspected dropped some cruise missiles on Saudi Arabia's biggest oil processing facility, halving the kingdom's oil processing capacity at a stroke and causing oil prices to leap 20–per cent. It should be noted that Iran denies the charge, and Yemen's Houthi rebels (who are backed by Iran) claim it was them wot done it – with drones. However, Washing- ton is brieš ng that the attack didn't originate from Yemen, and anyway the Houthis have not so far demonstrated any capability with the sort of precision ordnance used in Sunday's attack. President Donald Trump sought to defuse the situation by saying – via tweet, of course – that the US was "locked and loaded" and ready to go. If indeed it does all kick o , it will be the š rst war started via social media and the mind boggles at how it might progress. "U R very BAD. BOMBS coming 4 U!!!" perhaps. Or maybe "Loser UTILITY WEEK | 20TH - 26TH SEPTEMBER 2019 | 31 if they are summoned to attend any formal disciplinary meeting, such as notice of redundancy. FCB had just lost a major client, forcing the company to make lay-o s, so when Josh received an ominous email asking him to attend a meeting with HR, he knew what was coming. So he opted for an emo- tional support person and paid $200 (£100) to hire a clown. According to the New Zealand Herald, the clown fashioned balloon animals throughout the meeting and at one time had to be told to keep it down because of all the squeaks. Apparently the clown mimed crying when the redundancy paperwork was handed over. Thompson told a local radio station: "I mean, I did get š red, but apart from that it was all smooth running." Maybe Boris should take that clown to his next meeting with Junker. That would throw him o guard. for advertising agency FCB in Auckland. It so happens that

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