MPs find sixth stage of grief: sullen resignation

It’s like watching dead men walking. Or, to be accurate, a dead man and a dead woman walking. Ghosts of Christmas parties past, haunting the dispatch box. Cast your mind forward to a year from now. It’s more than likely that prime minister's questions will look very different. A change of cast. If not a change of fortune.

- John Crace

Keir Starmer might not even make it much further than the end of May. The budget chaos and No 10's curious briefings against itself have left many Labour MPs in despair.

The May local elections could be the last straw. On yesterday's BBC Politics Live, Clive Lewis said he would be happy to give up his seat to make way for Andy Burnham's return to Westminster. Whether Andy would be happy to swap Manchester for Norwich is another matter, but you get the picture.

As for Kemi, what can one say? Her position as leader of the Tory party may be looking slightly more secure than it was a couple of months ago. But that's not saying much. It's just that she's got a little less accident-prone.

Even when Starmer has a horror show she can only occasionally come out ahead. A no-score draw ranks as an achievement. If she does survive the next year it will be because none of her challengers reckon it's worth making a move. Why show your hand when there's no chance of glory?