Lindsay Razaq: The wheels have come off for Mrs May

A BIRD in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Never has a saying seemed more true, and it can’t be far from Theresa May’s thoughts this weekend.

She gambled by calling an unnecessary snap election and it backfired spectacularly.

Yes, the Tories remain the largest party, but when the principal objective was to boost the Conservative majority, a hung parliament result cannot be construed as a victory.

So while the Prime Minister gave off a business-as-usual vibe outside Downing Street, she’s far from out of the woods.

At the helm of a party historically intolerant of failure, the immediacy of the Brexit negotiations will provide some limited protection.

The talks will be no walk in the park, however, and she faces other challenges too, including discussions with the Democratic Unionists, who will drive a hard bargain in exchange for their support in propping up her minority administration.

Moreover, despite floundering in England and Wales, the party massively exceeded expectations in Scotland.

That puts Ruth Davidson and her MPs in a powerful position, one Mrs May cannot ignore, and she’ll have to make a concerted effort to woo them.

Remember, had the Conservatives done better elsewhere, they would be less tied to Westminster at the Prime Minister’s beck and call.

Keen to capitalise on her success, Ms Davidson has already begun flexing her muscles.

It’s certainly not Mrs May’s dream scenario and means she will have to be in charm offensive mood – with all her MPs, not just the Scottish ones.

But, of course, there are some protagonists-in-waiting she simply won’t be able to placate.

Thus, while Mrs May is safe for now, she won’t survive long-term, absolutely not for another five years.

We could be back at the polls in a relatively-short space of time and see a leadership election before that.

With the wheels coming off, the vicar’s daughter must be wishing she had just sat tight.