May makes an impression on foes and allies

It wasn’t quite like being “savaged by a dead sheep” – to coin a phrase by former Labour heavyweight Denis Healy – but Jeremy Corbyn’s attempts to corner Theresa May at her first prime minister’s questions ended up with him being flattened.

The beleaguered Labour leader, who has just as much to fear from his own troops, was ont he ropes after a flurry of blows from Mrs May, in the form of well-prepared one-liners. According to impartial observers, she did not bother herself too much with detailed answers – this one was all about establishing her authority from the start and making a lasting impression. Mrs May then flew into the hornets’ nest with a flight to Berlin, and a meeting with the formidable German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mrs May has shown no sign of ducking faceto-face meetings with her most dangerous potential adversaries – only last week she flew to Edinburgh to face another formidable female leader, Nicola Sturgeon.

Mrs May was secure in the knowledge of a widening Tory lead over Labour in the polls. Less secure was a damning report from MPs over David Cameron’s “negligent” lack of civil service preparation for Brexit – another sign that he didn’t see it coming?

Scots and Germans are key components of this horrendously difficult political equation which surrounds Brexit. It seems illogical that a close relationship with Europe could just disappear, but can these three powerful women fashion arrangements that are acceptable to all in this extraordinary new political landscape?

“Mrs May has shown no sign of ducking faceto-face meetings with adversaries”