It’s all over: the Conservatives are unpleasant, ineffective – and shot to pieces

Two disastrous by-elections have sealed my former party’s fate, and the Tories will be out at the next election, says the former MP and attorney general Dominic Grieve. The only hope for Rishi Sunak is that he can prevent a complete wipeout

A right shoeing: attendee at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester (AP)

The by-election losses in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire illustrate that the Conservative party is shot to pieces in its current state. Nothing in life is ever certain, but I think the writing is on the wall for the Conservatives at the next general election.

Labour is benefiting from a mood of “anyone but the Tories”. If the Liberal Democrats were able to articulate a national vision – which they have not done – then the Conservatives would be in even worse trouble. It could mean a collapse in blue wall seats in the south of England and an outcome far worse than in 1997.

There is a problem with trust and integrity. I have no doubt most people will think that Rishi Sunak is a transparently decent man trying to do his best. But the party is labouring under a legacy of having tolerated the leadership of a complete charlatan for three years.