The defining promise of Labour’s general election campaign – the single word “change” – was modest and ambitious at the same time; easy to keep once, hard to keep on keeping. The simple fact of not being the Tories meets the most basic test of change. It also buys time while new ministers are excused for the dismal state of things that can’t reasonably be called their fault.
How long? How far does the benefit of the doubt stretch before it snaps? This is not a measure of popularity, or not exclusively. Prime ministers face unpleasant decisions every day. Leaders who are serious about accountability should expect to be disliked much of the time.
