If Jo Swinson wants to lead a successful Remain coalition, she’ll need to come out swinging

Drowning out the clamour of Boris Johnson’s premiership will be difficult when the new Liberal Democrat leader is elected. But if the right MPs are appealed to, they could stave off a no-deal parliament

Thanks either to a weird accident of timing or crude Tory cunning, Boris Johnson won’t be the only new leader unveiled on 23 July (the anniversary, aptly, of The Beatles releasing “Help!”).

If your attention’s been monopolised by Johnson’s tragicomic lurch to power, know that on the same day, the next Liberal Democrat guv’nor will also be revealed.

Whether the Conservatives timed their climax to steal the Lib Dem thunder, who can say? But on Tuesday next week, barring an upset as seismic as a Jeremy Hunt win, Jo Swinson will beat Ed Davey to succeed Vince Cable.