Whilst I agree that a 'straight on' photo would settle that once and for all, I find it hard to reconcile what you suggest with the photo, even allowing for the possibility of 'optical illusions'.
There is seemingly something smaller to the left of the fuse carrier, which could be a 'Henley' intended as a 'neutral block', but there is absolutely no sign of anything from the supply entering it - so if the black cable were connected to that, it would not be connected to anything!
The incoming supply clearly splits into two components, one connected to the bottom of the fuse carrier and the other heading off in the direction of where we first see the red conductor. The top of the fuse carrier is clearly the downstream end of the fuse, and it's almost impossible to see how the red tail could connect that, given that the black one is the only one seen anywhere near the top of fuse carrier. In other words, if one thought that it was an optical illusion which makes it look as if the black comes from the downstream end of the fuse, then what actually IS connected to the (top of) the fuse?
For those reasons, I find it hard to believe that things can be as you suggest - but who knows?! As I said, a 'straight on' photo which allowed us to see clearly what happens on both sides of the fuse carrier would presumably settle that particular question.
Kind Regards, John
. That being the case, maybe it is true that (as sparkwright suggested) there is not a single-phase meter in the land that doesn't have the neutrals in the middle!