This but with Labour and Starmer

I disagree. I think the result of the election was foremost a rejection of oji-san politics. Takaichi was a vote for aesthetic change, towards more energetic, "younger" politics.

This represents a change that the grey men can't navigate. Their resignation is a chance for the opposition's renewal.

I think it's most likely organic, a product of their strong social media game, grassroots strategy and appeal to the crazies such as antivaxxers

But who knows, maybe they're getting funding from the Kremlin and oligarchs to destabilize another western democracy. I wouldn't be entirely surprised.

It's likely a bet the economy and housing market will improve soon with the new planning law, although that might be unlikely. In fact the economy seems to be slowing down.

Beyond that, he seems not to have any strong beliefs or plans, he's the human rights lawyer who railed against woke after all.

I dislike it too but 13 seats out of 465 is really not that much. It's really nothing compared to the horror European parliaments give me.