Comment: Save a place for Rishi next to Liz atop the political scrap heap
When he snuck into Number 10 by the side door, Rishi Sunak had more than enough problems to deal with.
People across the country – including in the Black Country and Staffordshire – are struggling with soaring costs for their mortgages, food and heating.
They are sick of turning on their televisions every night and seeing boats filled with migrants pulling in at Dover, knowing full well that those some of those same people – many of them young men here to game the system – will be residing in local hotels before long.
Yet rather than get down to business on day one, the Prime Minister has mostly wasted his time dealing with problems that are entirely of his own making.
He must have known there would be a price to pay for reappointing Suella Braverman to a role she had quit only a few days earlier after admitting security breaches.
And he knew full well the knives would be out over his decision to give a job to Sir Gavin Williamson, who for all his undoubted skills behind the scenes has too many enemies in parliament and in the national media.
If Mr Sunak was the type of leader who was strong enough to stand up to his opponents and really drive forward a proper Conservative agenda, then none of this would matter.
But early indications are that he is not.
His only attack line – aired every week during PMQs – revolves around Jeremy Corbyn, and already it has started to wear thin.
Mr Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss paid the penalty for bowing down to the Labour Party at every turn.
From the moment she entered Number 10 she appeared utterly clueless. Her premiership ended in shame – and in record time. For many, Ms Truss will be remembered as the worst Prime Minister of all time.
Unless Mr Sunak swiftly grows a set, there are worrying signs that he may soon join her sitting atop the political scrap heap.
