The government has a lot more challenges to contend with than who actually leads it. The Brexit negotiations are clearly not going well. There was a fundamental misunderstanding in the Leave camp about the way Europeans think and act and what their response would be. So when the EU negotiators step forward with an agreed strategy built into an agenda set down by the EU Council, supported by nine detailed and specific position papers, the Brexit Ministry, the Overseas Trade department and the Foreign Office were completely unprepared, not least because the government itself has no agreement within it about the objectives, beyond the mantra of carrying out the will of the people. But the will to do what?
The answer is obviously to leave the EU. But you cannot leave something which is part of you any more than you can leave your right leg. Britain has been part of the structure and its laws have been part of the legal code of the EU since its formation as the successor to the Common Market. So the process to be followed is to disentangle yourself from yourself. This is proving much more complicated than expected. Every time this hapless government steps forward with a plan there are howls of derision not just from the EU, or from Remain forces in Westminster, but also from almost every trade, academic, medical, scientific, industrial educational, professional and worker focused institution or pressure group.
Because this project will in the short, medium and perhaps even the long term, seriously damage the economic and social interests of our country at almost every level and at every turn. Like a gathering storm the currents of discontent, anger and impatience are beginning to stir. Mostly at the moment they are at the level of options. but soon they will rise up as hard consequences and brutal facts. Then a new political verity will prevail. Brexit will be toxic and whichever political combination owns it will be doomed. The smart move for the Tories would be to ditch the troublesome DUP, face a vote of No Confidence and go down fighting. They would have lost the battle but could survive to win the war. If they carry on clinging to office with the DUP, they look set to lose both.