Who is popular today?

Ineptness has brought down many prime ministers. But calling for ‘competent’ rule is not a rival programme for office
This government is a shambles. More and more people say so: not just Keir Starmer but Tory backbenchers, not just Piers Morgan but the Financial Times, not just leftists on Twitter but the Daily Mail. The list of Boris Johnson’s failures – over coronavirus and in just about every other policy area – gets longer every week. Ministers are objects of mockery and contempt.
Government incompetence matters, especially during a pandemic. But it’s also an easy charge to make – almost too easy. It comes naturally to disillusioned voters, who don’t trust politicians anyway; to civil servants, with scores to settle after government cuts; and to journalists, who enjoy judging the powerful and describing Whitehall meltdowns. Continue reading...