Why Sunak should stay

In the end, the Tories did just as badly as predicted in the local elections. They lost about half of the council seats they were defending as well as ten out of the 11 mayoralties up for election and did not even come close in London. It’s a disaster, but one consistent with the opinion poll picture painted with such devastating regularity over the last year or so.

Any Conservative now tempted to depose Rishi Sunak should study the pantomime playing out in Holyrood. The Tory motto, now, is to remember that there is always someone worse off than you are – and that person is usually in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP is reminding the world that changing leader does not help a party running from its record. Humza Yousaf lasted 13 months in office which is an improvement on the 49 days Liz Truss managed but his defenstration still shows a party in meltdown.