Without him, the disaffected right lacks the profile, the programme, or the machine to capitalise on the Conservatives’ weaknesses.
Starmer was solidly pious, but lacked the wit to score a palpable hit.
I’m more relaxed about the frontiers of the state rolling forward than some. But all the way into my bloodstream? Not without my say so.
The centre isn’t where he or ConservativeHome or anyone else wants it to be. It’s where it is – “Far From Notting Hill”.
I got one message from a Brexiteer artist telling me “it would be career suicide for me to be public about my opinions”.
That was the norm of the past ten years, in the form of Farage’s parties. There’s no reason to assume that a new challenger won’t emerge.
The fifth piece in a ConHome series this week on the Prime Minister’s Reset Moment – and what should follow from it.