Thinking Cleverly

They are still going after James Cleverly, because they know that the Leadership either of Kemi Badenoch or of Robert Jenrick would be intolerable to two thirds of Conservative MPs.

Two parliamentary by-elections lost to Reform UK, or major losses in that direction at the local elections, and either such Leader's strategy would have failed. Two parliamentary by-elections lost to anyone else, or major such municipal losses, and it would been the wrong strategy in the first place. One by-election lost to Reform and one to another party, or local losses in all directions, and both points would be made.

Meanwhile, Labour did so badly in those particular council seats in 2021 that it might appear already to have hit rock bottom. But that is never true until you have won no seats at all. Thursday by Thursday, local by-election results show the Labour vote in freefall. And we who vote even in local by-elections, vote in absolutely everything.