Obviously difficult for any opposition leader at the moment. Will be very hard to be heard during a national crisis. Starmer, assuming he wins, will also be having to build off a disastrous electoral defeat. But.

Politics was anyway extremely volatile. The Tory gains are weakly held and could easily switch. The covid emergency has exacerbated these underlying factors.

For now there's public support for govt. But there's an underlying narrative of it being incompetent in its handing of the crisis, which could explode if ppl feel there have been unnecessary deaths or economic damage.

The boredom and frustration over the restrictions to our lives, which will last for a long time no matter what happens, could easily translate into opposition to the government.

Starmer is seen as competent but a bit boring (the last part unfairly I think, but whatever). That could eventually play well in a time of crisis, if the prime minister is seen as stumbling and inept.

He also has a very good eye for detail, arguably the best in Westminster, and is very strong in scrutinising policy. As the row over testing and equipment shows, this can quickly be used to cause severe damage to No.10.

The man's got an uphill battle, no doubt. But there are many opportunities for him to do very well. I doubt No.10 feared him much at the start of the Labour leadership contest. I imagine they do now.