Six mistakes that doomed Theresa May's premiership

It has been the longest goodbye in British political history, but Theresa May is finally on the way out. After it emerged that the Prime Minister had “barricaded” herself into Number 10

yesterday afternoon, refusing to see either the Home Secretary or the Foreign Secretary, it was clear to all that the game was up.

The first to desert the sinking ship was her old rival, Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as Leader of the House last night. Today’s European election provides a brief respite, thanks to

reporting restrictions on broadcasters. But unless Mrs May commits herself to a departure date tomorrow, she is likely to be told that Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid, with the tacit support of

most of their Cabinet colleagues, are also ready to go.

In that worst case scenario, Mrs May might not even be allowed to remain as a caretaker, enabling her to surpass Gordon Brown’s tenure in office next Wednesday, for the duration of the

leadership election. There is always David Lidington, her indispensable deputy, to perform that role.

Given that the only certainty is that she will go, sooner rather than later, the question inevitably arises: how did it all go wrong? What were the fatal mistakes that doomed the May

premiership? In a crowded field, here are six that stand out.

Mrs May had hoped that Brexit would be the prelude to her own exit, at a time of her choosing. Instead, a lifetime of public service, in which she undoubtedly takes pride, looks certain to

be requited with a brutal defenestration that she does not deserve.

Yet her one unquestionable quality — persistence — has proved to be her downfall. One definition of insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result. Another is to

stake your whole reputation on one task and then not only fail to carry it out, but deny responsibility. Persistence in denial is no virtue — least of all in a Prime Minister whose boast

was: “My whole philosophy is about doing, not talking.”

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