Assessments of Keir Starmer's leadership are far too premature and far too harsh. He's doing three things very effectively: addressing Labour's hygiene factors, providing strong and competent opposition, and hitting Labour's mild blue, social democratic sweet spot well....

... The first and last has brought back Labour voters who would vote Labour in almost all circumstances but didn't in 2019. His challenge now is that Labour's sweet spot isn't the country's. But there's time. Work in progress.

I would also say that it's extraordinarily difficult for the Leader of the Opposition to develop a public persona in the midst of pandemic when you can't do all the normal visual things that get you attention. Time will come for that.

Though the solidity of Tory support is clearly a strategic challenge. Much depends though on the ongoing fiscal response to economic pain once the pandemic ebbs. Governments have control of the policy agenda.