SEISMIC times bring seismic changes. We’re now getting to a stage in British political history where it seems the chaotic present will mimic the chaotic past. In 1922, the Liberal Party began its century long decline - a diminishment the LibDems still bear today - reduced to third place behind Labour.

Previously, the Liberals swaggered and enjoyed thumping government majorities, taking nearly 50% of the vote in 1906.

But scandal and ineptitude saw them banished to the political wilderness. Ring any bells? There’s every likelihood the Tories are about to tread the same sorry path as the party of Asquith and Lloyd George.

Here’s the astonishing facts as they now stand: Labour has at least 28 points lead in the polls.

If an election was held tomorrow, by some estimates the Tories would lose about 300 seats, and be left with just 22 MPs. That would see Labour all-powerful in government, and - incredibly - the SNP would become the official opposition in the House of Commons as the second largest party, with Conservatives in third place.

Now mull that - and its possible consequences - over for a moment. Of course, there’s desperate Tories, clinging to their shredded battle standard, who believe bringing in Rishi Sunak (the multimillionaire ‘safe pair of hands’) as Prime Minister, or returning the sleaze and scandal-stained Boris Johnson to power, will somehow save them from oblivion. It’s hard to see how Sunak can cure what ails the Tories - and even to many Conservatives, Johnson spells death.

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