Prize is huge for Tory PM who fulfils Brexit

COULD anyone have been the least bit surprised when the political tsunami struck? Having failed abysmally to keep their solemn promise to steer Britain safely out of the EU, the nation’s political elite were swept away in a deluge of voter anger and frustration.

Of course, if the Tories and Labour had carried out their chief task competently, they wouldn’t have suffered such a blistering backlash. Indeed, the electorate would never have needed to take part in the ludicrous European Parliament poll.

What a farce! No wonder the wearied public snatched this golden opportunity to inflict revenge.

To recap, the Tories have wasted three years bungling Brexit. This is why they endured their most torrid night in history – polling a pitiful 9 per cent.

Incredibly, if this was a first-past-the-post election, the party wouldn’t have won a single seat – a sobering thought.

For Labour, the damage for its role was just as overwhelming – perhaps even more so – as it struggled to creep over 14 per cent.

For the main opposition to fail to make greater hay out of the Tories’ turmoil was astonishing. It even lost its London fiefdom.

And is it any wonder when Jeremy Corbyn’s motley rabble are intellectually incoherent on the biggest political issue of our age?

With cynical opportunism, the duplicitous Marxist ( a lifelong Eurosceptic) has pursued a risible policy of ‘ constructive ambiguity’ – otherwise known as an utter unwillingness to get off the fence.

Desperate to avoid alienating Leave voters in the party’s heartlands or metropolitan Remain supporters, he chose, Janus-like, to face both ways. Yesterday, the fence collapsed spectacularly. Spooked by its hammering, the party went into meltdown over whether to demand a ‘People’s Vote’ (isn’t that what the first referendum was?)

Undoubtedly, both parties have been punished for painting Brexit as shades of grey, when the referendum was black and white. Fringe parties offering clarity benefited from a massive protest vote.

Most remarkably, the Brexit Party, led by its self-appointed messiah Nigel Farage, hoovered up a third of the votes. In England and Wales he won everywhere except London. Meanwhile, the Greens and Lib Dems gained from disillusioned Remainers.

Yes, the Tories have reached a dispiriting and humiliating nadir. But now the chips are down, couldn’t this be a moment of catharsis? The starting gates have opened on the race to replace Theresa May, and the list of runners and riders is impressive.

One thing is clear: Whoever wins the crown must urgently claw back credibility by delivering Brexit. To win back votes from Mr Farage, they may at least have to consider leaving without a deal, as perilous as that could be for the economy.

But aren’t there opportunities too, for someone who can find a form of unity? The country is crying out for closure, and a decisive new leader could reap immense electoral rewards for fulfilling the promise to leave the EU with an agreement.

The bigger danger is in failing to achieve anything other than a slide towards a general election. That risks paving the way to a Corbyn-led socialist government which would ruin the economy and threaten security and the Union. Surely Tory MPs are not blind to that terrifying prospect.

Tricky times lie ahead. The next prime minister will need optimism, character and immense powers of persuasion to bring together a fractured party and country. Crucially, they must command loyal support – especially in Parliament.

But breaking the political paralysis of Brexit will allow the Government to focus on domestic hot potatoes – knife crime, schools, social care and the housing crisis.

We do not underestimate the difficulties ahead. But the prize is enormous.