Star comment: Mr Corbyn has to be believable

Unfortunately for the Labour leader, her words appear to resonate with the wider public.

For Mr Corbyn has struggled providing the Government with an effective Opposition since his surprise election as Labour leader.

And though the electoral rules that govern his party mean he has become even more entrenched, it is difficult to escape the fact that Labour appear to be further from power than they were when Ed Miliband was at the helm.

In the world of politics, election results count. Like a football manager whose team string together pretty passes while failing to find the net and habitually losing, Mr Corbyn can hardly be looking forward to election day. In many ways, he has a free hand at this General Election. One of the advantages of knowing you probably won’t be elected is being able to promise the world.

His latest vote-winner is free parking at hospitals. No-one can argue that free hospital car parking would be good for all involved, but money currently raised has a very real positive impact on care in our hospitals. Can he be sure to raise the appropriate revenue from other means?

The Labour leader has also pledged free school meals for all primary school children by taxing private schools – while also promising the majority of workers their tax won’t be going up and there won’t be a VAT rise.

Something has to give, the money must come from somewhere and questions must be raised about whether taxing private health or private schools will bring in the necessary money – or whether the UK’s already bloated deficit will start growing again.

Mr Corbyn and his team have yet to convince the electorate that they have the tools to do the job. He Mr Corbyn appears as an avuncular uncle might, constantly making promises and offering giveaways. John McDonnell seems to be one of the more competent members of the Shadow Cabinet, despite his predilection for Karl Marx, but while Dianne Abbott is one of the least well-prepared MPs from either side, repeatedly making mistakes and factual errors.

Labour has a month to get its act together and start delivering: otherwise a prolonged period of Conservative hegemony looms. Mr Corbyn must not simply say things to please. He must start being believable.