Between a rock and a hard place

A British general election initially billed as being “the most important since the war” has turned out to be about nothing in particular. It was supposed to contrast the “strong and stable” leadership of Theresa May against the incompetent “coalition of chaos” offered by Jeremy Corbyn. But Mr Corbyn has benefited from the eclipse of Mrs May’s unique selling point – that she alone was tough enough to stand up to the bullies of Brussels. 

In the light of various hurried policy adjustments, even commentators on the right have started to substitute “weak and wobbly” for her preferred definition. At the start of the campaign Mrs May led by some 24 percentage points. Within weeks the margin had dropped by two thirds, and may yet fall further. It could even be an exciting finish, though the possibility that Mrs May will not be Prime Minister on 9 June still seems remote. 

Meanwhile the probability that Mr Corbyn will still be leader of the Labour Party has increased. Those who hoped a post-election Labour meltdown would lead to a rapid change of leadership may have to wait. His manifesto, though to the left of many previous Labour efforts, has gone down better than expected.