It’s never a good sign for a leader when speculation shifts from “Should he go?” to “Exactly how are we going to get rid of him?”

Somehow, Sir Keir Starmer has achieved this downward trajectory in record time. The Prime Minister is now reported to be “going nowhere”, a turn of phrase with which his critics agree more than he might like.

Like Boris Johnson before him, a specific scandal has tipped things over the edge but an accumulation of errors rooted deeply in his political character made his downfall possible in the first place.

The polling doldrums – party and personal – are here to stay. The Prime Minister is protected only by his MPs’ fears about following the Conservatives into the valley of leadership chaos, and the fact that his leading rivals are variously hamstrung by circumstance.

The former obstacle will surely be overcome as the electoral situation becomes more obvious – most notably at the ballot box next week. Polls are scary, but elections are painful.

The latter is more tricky for the leadership hopefuls. Each has their own unique set of challenges to navigate.

Starmer aided his own defence – albeit at great cost – by preventing Andy Burnham from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election, avoiding what would by now seem like a straightforward coronation were the Greater Manchester Mayor in Parliament.

Wes Streeting........

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