Cast an ear into the social media ether and you may here the stirrings of a growing confessional movement – non-Tories who feel sorry for the PM.
Political allegiances aside, Theresa May has a tough job – running a country is a big enough gig – but throw in leaving the EU and a party that seems determined to oust her and things get significantly more difficult.
To top it all off, European Council president Donald Tusk yesterday posted an image on Instagram mocking the PM for her humiliating day at a summit of EU leaders in Salzburg, where she was told her Chequers blueprint for Brexit “will not work”.
Such is her current predicament that even Sharon, a self-described “Filthy Remainer”, is empathising.
Same for David, an avid Corbyn fan.
So how did we get to this stage? As the UK goes through one of the most politically divisive periods in modern history, how can Labour supporters possibly feel sorry for the leader of the Tories?
It all began last October, when May’s party conference speech was scuppered by an unfortunate cough and since then a steady flow of cringeworthy incidents have gradually shored up the opinion that hey, she is a person after all.
When She Gave A Speech Looking Like She Was Stuck In A Chimney
In a classic Tory edition of “have they actually thought this through?” May delivered a speech earlier this year on housing from a wobbly lectern against a backdrop of fake bricks.
Oh, and the lectern was also made of fake bricks – someone actually signed off on this.
When She Had To Go Off-Script And Sounded Like She Had No Friends
One of the PM’s biggest weaknesses is doing anything that isn’t related to being PM.
Speaking to ITV’s Julie Etchingham to mark International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister was asked a series of questions about the government’s proposed domestic violence legislation.
But a softer tone followed, when Etchingham wondered what would be her perfect night if she wanted to “let her hair down” with girlfriends.
She said: “Me and some of the gals watch Netflix with a bottle of Lambrini.”
Actually, that’s a lie – she really said: “Well, I don’t think that when you let your hair down there’s only one way of doing it. I think it depends on the group that you’ve got, it depends on the time.
“But as I say, my International Women’s Day is rather more focused not on what we can do to enjoy ourselves, but actually on what we can do to help women out there, women who are suffering, women who are being abused and whose lives are being made a daily living hell.”
When She Had To Put A Positive Spin On Stockpiling Blood
May never wanted Brexit, but unfortunately she got the top job at a time when pretty much nothing else matters.
As PM she obviously has to make the best of things, but nothing says “SHIT, WE’RE HEADING FOR SOMETHING SERIOUS” more than a government stockpiling blood.
In an interview given in response to the revelations, she said: “Far from being worried about preparations that we’re making. I would say that people should take reassurance and comfort.”
Hmm....
When Some Of Her Own Party Laid Out In Detail How It Was Going To Screw Her Over
In July hard Brexiteers led by Jacob Rees-Mogg tabled four amendments to the Trade Bill which would destroy key parts of the Brexit agreement reached by May’s Cabinet.
Since then this Tory civil war has only escalated into...
When Some Of Her Own Party Actively Tried To Oust Her
This is an ongoing crisis which blew up in spectacular fashion when Boris Johnson resigned, calling her “miserable” Brexit plan as a “democratic disaster”.
Johnson, who had just quit the government in July, said “a fog of self-doubt has descended” over the UK government approach to negotiations with the EU as it “dithered”.
Flanked by eurosceptic Tory MPs, including former Brexit secretary David Davis, Johnson stopped short of demanding May quit as prime minister.
But he accused her of failing to deliver the Brexit plan promised in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017 and of staging a “stealthy retreat”.
Unsurprisingly, May did not remain in the Commons chamber to listen to Johnson’s speech.
When She Tried to Dance
Damned if she did, damned if she didn’t – these were the two options facing May on a tour of African countries, when she was invited to dance by students at ID Mkize Secondary School, twinned with Whitby High School in Cheshire.
May joined in by having a bit of a boogie, although the exact dance is yet to be ascertained.
Obviously she took quite a lot of ribbing, presumably by people who can knock out a waltz or a bit of ballroom at the drop of a feathered hat.
To be fair though, she did take it in good humour with this cracking tweet.