Though gravity is on Corbyn’s side, victory is far from certain | Rafael Behr

For now political momentum is with the opposition leader. But no one knows how the credible prospect of a Labour win would affect voters

Anyone who is certain that the Tories can’t beat Jeremy Corbyn must first account for the fact that they have done so once already. To many ears, that is a perverse interpretation of last year’s election. The Conservative campaign was a flop that cost the party its majority and enfeebled its leader. Corbyn emerged stronger than Theresa May in many ways.

But May emerged as prime minister, which is a legitimate measure of victory. The question of a rematch is, anyway, academic. No Tory MP wants one, and a general election isn’t obligatory before 2022. An assumption that May will stand aside before then is a reason why she is still in the job. The Conservative leader is on a conditional licence from her party to stick around long enough to sign off on Brexit, and not much longer.

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from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2HtjMhw