Whether it's briefings against Downing Street chief of staff Sue Gray, the Prime Minister's freebies or the general sense of unhappiness and confusion that I pick up from Government insiders, the last couple of weeks have been a reminder of the huge gap between being an effective opposition party and running the country.

Former PM Tony Blair came to think he largely wasted his first term and David Cameron took too long to realise his chief advisor Steve Hilton, allegedly running around Downing Street in t-shirt and bare feet, was achieving less than he was wearing.