Star comment: People are running out of patience

The talk this autumn was of hegemony.

Boris Johnson was high, buoyed by the success of the vaccine programme and intent on achieving the sort of long-term stay at Number 10 that Mrs Thatcher enjoyed. A series of self-inflicted injuries has changed the narrative.

Mr Johnson’s approach to the Owen Paterson situation, his reckless handling of a series of parties at Number 10 and the sense that it’s one rule for them and one rule for us has changed the dynamic.

He is now viewed by some as a hindrance, rather than a help, to the Conservative Party. After his Peppa Pig speech and a series of other blunders, it’s created an impression the PM cannot get serious when it matters most.

Our annual survey on the performance of the Government and the PM shows that support for Mr Johnson is slipping.

It demonstrates that people are getting fed up at the constant scandal, while there is also unhappiness at the Government’s handling of the pandemic, despite the sympathy people have with the situation the government has found itself in. To steal a phrase from Theresa May, people want strong and stable leadership, not a daily episode of EastEnders.

What is clear is that people are running out of patience. We need leadership to help the country out of this crisis. The North Shropshire by-election showed that people are prepared to make a change and the Conservatives must do better if they want to retain the support of those who voted in 2019.

The Government’s levelling-up strategy is crucial. The Conservative Party borrowed votes from Labour heartlands across this region to win in the last General Election. There is little doubt that voters will switch back if the planned regeneration plans are not forthcoming. To date, it appears little progress has been made.

Mr Johnson is a man who defies political gravity, of course. He has made more comebacks than Frank Sinatra, though whether he is capable of leading for a long term remains in question. Politics is a serious business and the notion that he might be the wrong leader at the wrong time lingers. Certainly, that is the impression cast by readers in our poll who believe he is running out of time.

Yet Sir Keir Starmer also has to improve if he wishes to overcome a huge Conservative majority. While his appointments to the Labour front bench have been impressive, too few people know what he stands for. It is all well and good presenting yourself as a credible alternative, but people need vision and clarity – now more than ever.