It does feel like something has changed this week. Labour started the election campaign very strongly, winning the first two weeks by dominating the narrative and succeeding in showing Ed Miliband in a better light than voters had previously seen him.
Yet this week was different. Things haven’t started to go wrong for Labour because their leader met with Russell Brand, but their campaign has stuttered since then. It was nonetheless a terrible error of judgement for a man who wants to be made Prime Minister to be seen legitimising a madman.
The Tories are ahead in six out of the last eight polls. With ICM, the so-called “gold standard” pollster, Labour have trailed for some time. In Scotland, one poll this week said every single Labour MP could be wiped out.
Then came the endorsements. The Economist and the Financial Times, two centrist, non-partisan, respected publications, delivered damning indictments of the dangers of voting Labour. Even the left-wing New Statesman, which backed Miliband as Labour leader, was scathing of his performance as it begrudgingly backed him.
Finally, last night’s Question Time special. It was great television as all leaders took a bashing from the unusually excellent audience. But it is the Tories who will be hoping for big viewing figures. Cameron put in arguably his best performance of the election, Miliband his worst. Cameron won by a distance in the snap poll.
This time next week we will have an idea of where things stand. The cards are stacked against them, but things are starting to go right for the Tories at the right time…
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