Tories must know that the game is up

WHETHER it is fat ladies singing or footballers not losing the will to win 'til the final whistle blows, the competitive world is full of analogies for never giving up, however bleak the situation.

- PHILIP BOWERN

Sometimes, however, the game is up before the game is over. And last Thursday's local election results - a disaster for the Conservatives almost certainly marks the turning point beyond which it is difficult to see any return to winning ways for Rishi Sunak's party this side of a general election.

I write this as someone who has cautioned in the past against making too big a bet on Keir Starmer being our next prime minister. There remains, even after the council elections, a distinct lack of enthusiasm for Sir Keir as the best man to take over the reins at Number Ten.

But sometimes, when the tide turns in politics, there is no stopping it. And after last week's results were counted and it transpired that Labour had secured the largest lead over the Conservatives in local elections since the days of Tony Blair in 1997, it is very hard to see a change of direction before Britain must go to the polls to elect a new Government next year. He may be a bit lacking in sparky charisma, but Sir Keir is beginning to look ever more like a PM in waiting, and even some in the Tory Party are saying so.