It’s true that collapses come slowly and then fast. Ours started before we got into power with the belief that by running the most effective vote-per-seat political campaign in British history we would be capable of governing.
We thought that winning power meant we would be capable of wielding it. While we methodically destroyed the Tory government, we did not need to worry about the extremely late contact with the civil service, and we knew we would be able to draw on the hallowed ‘97-’05 old guard who could teach us how to run the country in private and protect us in public while we were learning on the job. We were wrong on all counts.
Some of the people most responsible for the mess you’re in, pop up on the opposing side heralded as heavyweights
Almost instantly our broad but shallow rookie Parliamentary Labour Party, composed of the best anti-government campaigners in the country, was spooked by our falling polling numbers. Where the centre saw an expected depreciation, the PLP saw mortal threats to their ability to win back their seats. Needed arms around shoulders did not come down from the cabinet, itself already grappling with a powerful, rested civil service that had a momentum left untamed by feeble preparation talks. The pressure began to build, louder with each major political mistake, and despite the disasters often originating from outside No. 10, Keir Starmer was understandably blamed.
