Today the House rises for summer recess and, as James writes, Downing Street achieves its immediate post-election aim: Theresa May makes it to the summer recess. The government hopes the break will allow the party to regroup and come back more focused and more united. Whether that happens or not, what is clear is that the Prime Minister's position will be uphill.

Following her fateful decision to call an early election which saw the Conservatives lose their majority, May is a diminished figure – both within her party and in public. MPs openly make jokes at her expense at parties while her Cabinet talk freely now that her authority is shot. Her former colleague George Osborne describes her as a 'dead woman walking', and in the Chamber things aren'tservant he would stay on whatever happened – before proceeding to resign as PM and quit Parliament for good when things didn't go to plan. In trading the Commons for a man shed, Cameron not only went back on his promise to stay on as an MP. He also undermined his comments bemoaning how hard it was to keep those who have finished in high office as MPs,

Likewise, George Osborne doesn't appear to be a shining example of public service in action. Fired by May, the former Chancellor tested to the limits how many other jobs and conflicts of interest he could have, before (when concluding there was little chance to oust May anytime soon) standing down at the election. He is now kicking himself for leaving –