Well Tough Luck, Polly, Because Now is When They Are Having it

Britain is an insular country that needs reminding it is not alone in its political turmoil after an omnishambles week for Keir Starmer’s government.

Discontent and distrust spread as global democracy declines. Only 6.6% of the world’s people live in a full democracy, according to the Economist’s global index, down from 12.5% 10 years ago.

Oh dear, is this an inconvenient time for you, Polly?  

Only last year, Britain was heralded as the strong and stable nation of Europe, with Labour commanding a stonking great majority. As a result, the shock is all the worse now that, 16 months later, support for the government has plummeted to 18%, falling a frightening 15 points behind Reform UK.

It's called 'Buyer's Remorse'. 

True, it’s a government blighted by bad luck, inheriting Treasury account books with uncosted promises from the previous chancellor and Brexit damage even worse than predicted...

They can't blame the Tories forever, Polly... 

Voices expecting Starmer to last four years are mute, while despairing talk is only about who will succeed him and when. After the budget, perhaps? Or after May’s potentially apocalyptic local elections?

And the options aren't good. Frankly, its an 'out of the frying pan. into the industrial blast furnace' situation. 

I doubt a panicked leadership election now would lift Labour’s fortunes: a challenge might fail, the attempt would be messy, noisy and divisive, and it might not leave the impression of a fresh party knowing where it’s going.

Then that will be the correct impression. 

MPs might examine their own failings as well as their leader’s. I remain puzzled by how little enthusiasm Labour has managed to spread for the quite impressive list of things it has done in a short time that should please natural supporters.

Polly doesn't elaborate on what she considers  these 'quite impressive things' to be, and a trawl through her latest columns provided no clues. I suppose it depends on your definition of 'impressive'.

Asked what the government has done and what it stands for, sullen voters on doorsteps tell pollsters they don’t know. Well, it’s the difficult job of politicians to light their way, instil optimism and make coherent sense of their policies. For Labour, that’s 10 times harder against the distorting wall of sound of the vast rightwing hate media, far more mendacious now than in Tony Blair’s day. Mistakes are amplified, successes silenced.

Another person who believes there's 'a vast rightwing media' despoite who signs her paycheques.