With the election looming, he hopes to have cleared the decks for a fight on his preferred terms—the economy and leadership, on which the Tories enjoy big leads over the Labour Party. In previous elections, this would almost have guaranteed Mr Cameron the majority he failed to secure in 2010. The coming election looks different. To win a majority, the Tories need around 40% of the popular vote, and they are stuck in the low 30s, suggesting the golden thread between the Tories’ twin strengths and electoral reward has been severed. Or, to put it another way, that Mr Cameron’s leadership is admired but insufficient. Why is that?