Perhaps Paris’s political class – the nation’s “insiders” – were just bored. They have, after all, had nothing to talk about for the last six weeks except the coronavirus, which, horror of horrors, is important, but not interesting. At any rate, the fact is, contrary to rumours that reached gale force in the lead-up to lunchtime, Edouard Philippe is to remain France’s prime minister. Nicolas Sarkozy is not going to replace him.