I worked on Theresa May’s disastrous election campaign – this is what the Tory candidates need to avoid

After the bitterness of this leadership election, will a government be able to hold itself together, asks Salma Shah

Naturally, every candidate in the field has spoken of their integrity (PA)

A long time ago, in the days of Theresa May’s premiership, I sat in CCHQ for the 2017 election campaign, manning the broadcast desk, essentially acting as a glorified political-guest booker. It was simple enough, Theresa was on course for a barnstorming majority. Every obstacle in her path had been flattened without effort. All she needed to do was remain static. No gains, no losses.

Then, at some point in the middle of that election, despite protestations they hadn’t, everything had changed. It became obvious to anyone with access to the news that things weren’t going well.

The eagerness of the cabinet and junior ministers to fill up the broadcast rounds diminished, as did their enthusiasm for being told off, briefed against and back-bitten. When the result finally came in, the retribution was swift.