Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the reported plans to amend the Northern Ireland Protocol and considers whether they could solve the problem. He reviews Boris Johnson's party conference speech ("brief and insubstantial") and wonders where the strategic direction of the government is. He looks forward to the Chancellor's autumn Budget ahead of what might be a winter of discontent. And in the light of the waiting list of people in England waiting for hospital treatment growing to 5.7m, he ponders where the plan is to ameliorate the situtation.