EVERYBODY makes mistakes. In politics, in business, in life. The test is not whether you ever get something wrong, it is what happens next. This is where Keir Starmer has failed.
How is it possible that a Labour Government, just 18 months old and elected with a historic majority, has already found itself in such a mess?
Starmer has now lost his second chief of staff and his fourth director of communications. His party leader in Scotland has publicly demanded his resignation.
Just a month ago we were told Labour was turning a corner. Starmer is in office, but not in power. He has proved incapable of doing the things a prime minister needs to do.
He has not built a team, he has not built a strong organisation, and he has not set out a clear strategy.
The best prime ministers govern from values and conviction. Starmer does not even seem to know what he stands for, beyond the international human rights law framework and more bureaucracy. And even then, he is too weak to stand up to bullies.
This was clear during his visit to China. He arrived with no clear agenda beyond being agreeable and hoping China would be agreeable in return. The visit was disastrous. At one point, the Prime Minister was physically pushed aside. It was a humiliation for our country. Even as his political opponent, I felt bad for him.
After returning home, Starmer talked tough about raising the case of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai. This week China sentenced Lai to 20 years in prison.
This is what we can expect for the next three years. Labour has 404 MPs. The Conservatives have 116.
Labour MPs are not going to vote for an election that would cost most of them the best jobs they will ever have. Yet they could put an end to this drama if they are willing to put the national interest before self-interest and party interest. That would require tough decisions. Instead, we see cowardice.
Labour voted to increase welfare rather than pursue even modest restraint, showing the limits of their capacity to make difficult choices.
Governing is about hard choices and accepting that you will sometimes be hated for them. People who want a quiet life should work in a library.
Right now, we are not being governed. Countless ministers have been forced to resign in disgrace and scandal. The only consistent policy Labour has shown so far is a policy of U-turning.
There is only one alternative, and it is not Reform. What Britain needs is a serious plan, delivered by a strong, united team that is ready to take difficult decisions. That is what the Conservative Party has done before. Under my leadership, we have changed again.
We will continue to hold this Government to account, whoever ends up leading it. And we will continue to show that with serious leadership, Britain can get working again.
