STEWART PATERSON
AS the summer holiday season is upon us, politicians’ minds start to think of beaches and books to read on their travels. With Holyrood in recess already, MSPs are in their flip flops and some will even have the knotted hankie on their heads, sophisticated bunch that they are.
I wonder how many of them will spare a thought for Theresa May as Westminster is ready to pack up and take a break.
One year since she took over from David Cameron, remember him? A big man who did it and ran away if ever there was one.
His successor, having thought she was on easy street before the election, is now looking over both shoulders.
Having narrowly seen off Jeremy Corbyn and Labour by just enough to keep the keys to 10 Downing Street, she is now facing the biggest threat to any Prime Minister’s career.
Not the opposition, with strong party backing they can be handled, but from her own MPs.
When the MPs and power brokers of the Tories decide they have lost confidence then it is a matter of time before someone has a word and it’s goodnight Theresa. The only thing keeping Ms May in power is the thought among many Tories that if there has to be another election, they too will be out on their ear.
However, she knows that is no guarantee there won’t be a move on her position from a rival.
The Prime Minister and her husband Philip enjoy walking holidays in the hills.
So, she will be well aware of the predicament she finds herself in just now.
Just like walking along a ridge in the alps, one slip and she is gone, tumbling down a ravine.
SINCE the election it has been one problem after another. The deal to prop up her government with the DUP has been ridiculed and now challenged legally. Brexit remains as much of a mystery as it ever did. Her handling of events following the Grenfell Tower fire did nothing to inspire anyone she was the leader the country needed or wanted. And she faces the uncomfortable decision of whether to continue with austerity and in particular the public sector pay cap.
Either way she is going to upset a lot of people and take one more step towards that gaping political ravine.
One more episode where her failings as a Prime Minister are blatantly exposed and there will be a new Tory leader and with it the need for another General Election.
It is now more difficult for Ms May that she no longer has the comfort of thinking people will not vote for Mr Corbyn because no-one can see him as Prime Minister.
Instead of being portrayed as dishevelled, hapless and shambling the Labour leader has looked more like the Prime Minister in waiting every time Ms May dares to speak.
So, it is no surprise that MPs and challengers up and down the country are keeping ready for another election within months.
If she is ousted or the DUP deal falls apart then using the same logic that led to Ms May calling an election there would need to another to allow the country the choice.