As you may know, I have a passion for history.

You might think that’s only local history, but all of it fascinates me.

History tells us where we’ve been, why we are here, and, by applying a tiny amount of grey matter, it tells us where - if we aren’t careful - we will end up.

Lately, many of us have been thinking about the Second World War, a conflict with a million stories and just as many lessons.

But there is one story in particularly that always springs to mind whenever politicians pretend “we are all in this together,” which is often.

That’s the easiest thing in the world to say, but not so easy to prove.

Imagine the options for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (whom we would come to know as The Queen Mother) when war broke out - the biggest national emergency of the millennium.

London was obviously going to be bombed, Buckingham Palace was right in the firing line and the government wanted the royal family to evacuate.

They could easily have fled to America; even easier would have been to jump in a car with the kids, drive up the A1 and disappear into their second home in Scotland.

If they had followed the government’s advice and run away, it’s doubtful the UK would still be a monarchy today. Luckily, they were having none of it.

“The children will not leave unless I do,” said the Queen. “I shall not leave unless father does, and the king will not leave the country in any circumstances whatever.”

On September 13, 1940, a bomb landed on the Palace while they were home. Within hours they were in West Ham, surveying the damage to others’ homes.

“I felt as if I was walking in a dead city… through the broken windows one saw all the poor little possessions, photographs, beds, just as they were left.”

And, later: “It does affect me, seeing this terrible and senseless destruction. I think that really I mind it much more than being bombed myself. The people are marvellous and full of fight. One could not imagine that life could become so terrible. We must win in the end.”

But most famously of all she added: “I am glad we have been bombed. Now we can look the East End in the eye.”

Almost a century later, the royal family is still the elite of the elite, and, according to all logic, that should make their position untenable in the 21st century. But history makes the difference.

The Queen remains massively popular and genuinely admired by millions, and I believe support for the monarchy can be traced all the way back to the heartfelt solidarity that her parents showed, all those years ago.

Because whenever anybody says “We are all in this together”, we remember.

If they truly meant it, we remember. If they clearly didn't, we remember too.

When politicians are presented with ways to show genuine solidarity with the public, their other instincts invariably take over, which means closing ranks and making excuses, however laughable.

Then they fail to see the blindingly obvious: that this only endorses the public’s view that there is one rule for them and another for us.

Sometimes a golden opportunity for them to choose action over empty words presents itself - because if you can demonstrate real solidarity with the sacrifices of the public and their losses during a national emergency, it counts double.

How unfortunate for those who missed the boat. Because if you can’t “look the East End in the eye” during a national emergency, you never will.