The gambling saga might have been a three-day scandal. Instead he’d let it rumble on until he was almost on his knees

Election? What election? It’s hard to overstate just how weird this campaign has become. Normally with nine days to go, every party is desperate for every bit of attention they can get. Sending out a couple of operational notes every day detailing opportunities for the media. Anything to get their message out.

It’s very different this time around. As though the Tories and Labour are terrified of the voters and have gone into hiding. Coming out only to do the barest of bare minimums. Burble a few bland platitudes and then go scurrying back into the darkness. You can see why. The Tories don’t have a track record to defend and Labour don’t want to do anything to rock the boat. Let the opinion polls do the talking. But God it’s been dispiriting. Hope appears to be in short supply. The country wants change but the options don’t seem thrilling.

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