"No one seems to think Boris Johnson has handled this crisis particularly well. But who might have done a better job than him? According to the Great British public, the answer is obvious: Mrs Thatcher.

A poll carried out by Redfield & Wilton Strategies suggests that 34 per cent of people think that Maggie would have handled coronavirus better than Boris – beating any other modern PM. What's more, 47 per cent of those in the north east said Thatcher would have done a better job, the highest proportion out of any UK region.

Until the last election, just three of the 29 constituencies in the north east voted in a Tory MP. Boris Johnson managed to achieve the best result for the Conservatives there since 1959, returning 10 Tories to the Commons. At the time, there was much talk of former Labour supporters 'lending their votes' in order to get Brexit over the line. But could the Redford polling suggest a deeper shift, where the once reviled Mrs T has been reappraised by those in post-industrial seats? It seems the iron lady hasn't lost her shine."

Shine on you crazy diamond indeed.