for a national vote.

Shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry was comforting MPs who were on the "defensive" - many confiding they did not expect to be back at Westminster on 9 June.

Corbynism had not been successfully road-tested outside a part of the Labour spectrum that had turned away from Blairism. Even the loyal Thornberry found Corbyn at times "pigheaded" to deal with.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The Labour leader cut a relaxed figure on the campaign trail

Yet on Team Tory, Perrior noted that whereas Corbyn changed the perception of his character, taking the "biggest chill pill" after Labour had learned that being an "angry miserably grumpy old man doesn't work" - the prime minister looked more wooden and remote as the campaign progressed.

The huge own goal was an ill-preparedreform of social care, announced without calculating or explaining the effect on household finances of those most likely to be affected.

It came alongside other issues, like the proposed end to winter fuel payments for the elderly, that "would upset each aspect of our voter base - and people would expect the worst", says David Davis.

As a former home affairs spokesman for the Tories, he also thought that there was an "unreceived wisdom" when it came to the impact of the serious terror attacks during the campaign.

Gaining Momentum

Far from benefiting the incumbent, it "tied the prime minister up in the aftermath" so Labour had a free hit at the government on the impact of cuts in police numbers.

But was it really a Corbyn surge that did it - as