Labour looks like a proper opposition. That doesn’t mean they’ll win

There’s no point denying it, Labour is doing a bit better these days. Its poll rating is averaging a 39, which is back where it was this time last year after a long dip down into the low thirties that coincided with Boris Johnson’s ‘vaccine bounce’. These days it is the Tories languishing on an average score of 33 per cent.

Labour’s shadow cabinet looks more plausible as well. Rachel Reeves is a big step up from Anneliese Dodds as shadow chancellor and Yvette Cooper has been subbed in for the low wattage Nick Thomas-Symonds as shadow home secretary. Wes Streeting seems like a bit of a star in the making too in the health brief.

Suddenly that ‘has a good team of leaders’ question that pollsters think is a crucial test does not necessarily prompt snorts of derision when asked of voters about Her Majesty’s Opposition.

But what about the leader himself? Keir Starmer has certainly performed better in the Commons in his last few PMQs outings.