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The torment of the life of politics. Look around that cabinet table: each person is grappling with near impossible portfolios lacking the resources to do what they understand is needed.

Their inheritance was more disastrous than feared: they were bequeathed landmines, deceptive pitfalls and enormous voids. The EU departure is showing itself as more financially damaging than predicted, currently costing the exchequer £80bn a year.

The Obstacles Mounting

They face poor fortune: the Trump presidency coincided with their watch. What worse mishap than a prison officer setting free a refused asylum-seeker sexual predator? Migrant crossings feel unstoppable.

An unfortunate leadership contest at this moment was bound to give the Prime Minister a bruising. The 11% vote share at the Caerphilly Senedd byelection might not even be their lowest point.

They anticipate hostility, but they are human. Typically, the Health Secretary courageously expresses what all can see: that exists "deep disillusionment in this country at the moment" and "a growing sense of despair about whether anyone is capable of turning this country round".

Public Opinion Puzzles

Nevertheless, the current vitriolic state of public opinion is puzzling and worrying. The Prime Minister is the least popular prime minister in history. Really?

He is a decent, serious man of noble purposes, without undue arrogance or ego. Contrast this with the Conservative leader, the short-lived PM, or the relaxed confidence of the ex-Prime Minister, each achieving minimal to explain their overconfidence.

Governing Difficulties

But, say the people, the Labour leader is more ineffective. In his leadership role, he demonstrates little personal magnetism, they say: more significantly, he lacks policy adaptability, creative thinking or understanding of where the wind blows.

Labour blundered concerning decreases for pensioners and disabled people, unbalanced by generosity elsewhere. Unclear about their core constituency, ministers have permitted good policies uncelebrated, from working rights to environmental funding, urban development and employment assurances for young people.

Governing Philosophy

Numerous senior advisors still think the Daily Mail-inflected right needs wooing, when significantly more electors have moved leftwards since the government formed. Survey specialist the renowned analyst cautions leadership to stop chasing populist constituency: they've departed.

Labour's leader is underperforming; there's no denying it when research shows no leader could ever return from these unplumbed depths.

However, within the uncharted waters of such extreme volatility, conventional wisdom could prove irrelevant. Starmer pulled Labour from the period following Corbyn condition of hopelessness that c conventional wisdom suggested couldn't be fixed in a single parliament.

Possible Outcomes

Would anyone else achieve superior results, or have we reached an almost impossible to govern, never-content citizenry? Every administration may be dismissed equally quickly following election, despite overwhelming support, only if it appears bearing quick fixes offering substantial benefits for underfunded government departments and financially strained households.

Expectedly, panic on the back benches will make discussion about replacing the leader widespread if May's elections go as poorly as forecast – or, certain observers propose, before that.

The Way Forward

Officials face a contradiction: Labour's only hope resides in hopelessness. Accept they might be wiped out whatever, so employ their parliamentary advantage for the full parliament to pursue their inherent left-leaning values: make radical tax reforms, raising plenty.

Anticipate defeat the next election, so take decisive action currently. Ignore survey results and voter research; allow citizens to observe sincerity in their purpose. The sole method to restore some respect is to implement openly what they consider most just and equitable.

• That respect has become crucial to rescue the country from calamity
• The bright light from the Welsh constituency showed the strong "stop Reform" movement
• More than sixty percent of an exceptional turnout uniting to keep Faragists out
• This necessitates mass tactical voting for the strongest progressive option

The Chancellor rightly calls Reform "the primary risk" to our way of life. While Conservatives effectively combine with Reform, a political alliance of some kind looms.

The government's responsibility is to implement required actions to prevent it. Plan for partnerships, remain palatable for like-minded parties when political labels becomes secondary to the deep red line against a governance risk unknown in our lifetime.

This represents a mission to overcome hopelessness.