For us, David Cameron sounded his own death knell as a politician when he walked away from the Tory commitment to repatriate the fishing policy. That was the litmus test, and The Boy failed it.
Dislike was quickly followed by detestation but neither sentiment was shared by The Failygraph. It decided it was in love with The Boy. Starting the first full year of his reign as Tory party leader, in January 2006, we were thus treated by a long series of articles, stretching over the years. Most of the articles, if not overtly complimentary, have been generally supportive.
But how things change. Today in the same newspaper, it sternly informs the Tory trainwreck that The Boy's "Voters have no time for political manoeuvring".
It is not quite there yet, but dreamy-eyed trance seems to be breaking. We are seeing the word "ineptitude" and Cameron in the same article, along with those dreaded words, "out of touch".
Elsewhere, Iain Martin has a pop at the "modernisers", talking of "resentment" and citing a friend of his, an "entrepreneur and natural Tory to his fingertips".
He, apparently, captures the feeling of alienation, saying: "I dislike this Government so much that I would rather have Labour back in. Give me the real Muppet Show, rather than Cameron's tribute band".
Thus does Martin say, "the Conservatives need to prepare for life after Mr Cameron. He is not going anywhere in a hurry". And says one new Tory MP, "Now we have to find our Thatcher".
Dare we hope that the Muppet show is coming to an end?
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