Events overshadowing his election were even worse than for IDS in September 2001

I always felt sorry for IDS whose election as Tory leader was due to take place the the day after 9/11 – an event that so dominated the world that he never really had a chance to have a honeymoon period.

But at least, unlike Keir Starmer, IDS was able to have a first conference speech within weeks and was not barred from shaking people’s hands.

We are about to enter the first anniversary of Keir Starmer’s election as Labour leader and no doubt many will rush to write him off. The Tories are still leading in the polls and Johnson’s leader ratings are mostly better than his LAB opponent.

Just imagine what the new LAB leader’s first year would have been like if there had no pandemic. After officially being able to give a big speech at the special party conference when his election was announced he would have then led his party come and got a lot of publicity, in the run-up at the May local elections. These of course were cancelled.

Then there would have been built up to the main Labour Party conference in September when all the focus and publicity would be on his first big speech to the party. This would have got huge coverage and he would have been allowed to set out his policy platform.

Is it any wonder that the biggest element in his personal ratings over his first 12-months has been a huge proportion saying simply they don’t know.

With the easing of lockdown things are changing but he is still unable to filmed talking and shaking hands with real voters in key areas in the build up to the May 6th locals.

There maybe a benefit. It is always said that you only have one chance to make a first impression – Starmer may have two.