Star comment: Time May shows us just what she can do

At the time she seemed so mature, experienced, and composed – far removed from the Boris and Gove squabbles, and the Leadsom lunacy.

Here was a Home Secretary, albeit with a chequered track record, who could stand credibly alongside European leaders and negotiators, and to lead the country to its glorious post-Brexit future.

To say it hasn’t turned out like that is an understatement.

If anything it goes to underline the old truism that a week is an extremely long time in politics.

It seems hard to believe that just three months ago Theresa May was in such an unassailable position, she was confident enough to call a snap General Election.

It was widely predicted the Conservatives would win a majority in the 50s, 60s, 70s or greater, and fatally wound Jeremy Corbyn and Labour.

The consequences of a disastrous election campaign, which followed quickly on the heels of Philip Hammond’s self-destructive spring budget, meant that far from achieving an increased majority, Mrs May was left without one at all.

Her credibility and confidence appears shot to pieces.

She is neither strong or stable but, crucially, she is what this country needs more than ever.

It would be absolute folly for her backbenchers and potential rebels to begin plotting against her at such a fragile time.

The Labour Party, dominated by Momentum, backed by the fickle youth vote and lauded by the BBC, is currently promoting itself as a ‘government in waiting’.

The job of the entire Conservative Party is to ensure that it governs for a full five-year term.

If five days is a long time in politics, then five years is an eternity.

Where will the Glastonbury hordes that cheered him stand on Jeremy Corbyn in 2022?

What shape will the economy be in then?

Will Brexit have fully been delivered at that point?

Will free trade deals with the US, Japan and our Commonwealth partners be in place?

It should be some comfort for the Tories that the Corbyn phenomenon is more than likely to blow itself out after a while.

Like this year’s fashion, the flavour of the month is just that.

The longer the Conservatives can steer a steady ship, the sooner the left-wing media will have to shut up and move onto something else.

This will require nerve and verve – not qualities the Prime Minister seems to possess in abundance.

However, if she aspires to be Prime Minister the country has a right to expect leadership, not self pity.

Now is the time for Theresa May to show exactly what she is made of as Prime Minister.

She must roll up her sleeves, puff out her chest, and adopt an almost Thatcherite attitude.

She may not have an iron core at her centre, but she must show a steely resolve not to cave at the first signs of trouble, not to give in to media pressure, and to face down her critics by demonstrating true Conservative values and delivering a credible Brexit – and, above all, getting on with the job she was elected to do.