The upbeat Conservatives put in a strong showing in the local elections, gaining councils and councillors, demonstrating that their party machine is in great shape. Meanwhile, it was a deeply disappointing night for Jeremy Corbyn and the useless Labour leader’s position is weaker than ever. The Lib Dems gained some seats. But that’s not what matters. Instead, it’s all about how well the Tories are doing under Theresa May.
Oh, hold on, that’s based on a cutting from two years ago explaining how the strong Tory performance in the local elections held on May 4th 2017 meant that May was on track for a landslide in the general election that was held a few weeks later. Oops.Look what happened next.
The local election success of 2017 was a false signal. The arrogant Tory party elite strutted out of the locals and into the national campaign. Expecting a landslide Team May blew itself up with its manifesto. May proved herself incapable of campaigning or communicating via anything other than stilted soundbites.In only a month, the Tory leadership group under May went from thinking it was the cat’s pyjamas to acute embarrassment and rank humiliation. It even eclipsed the reversal in Gordon Brown’s fortunes in the autumn of 2007 when he was miles ahead, flirted with an early general election and then had to retreat.
A lot can change in a few weeks.
