“CHALLENGING” is the politician’s euphemism of choice.

Hardly an interview goes by without an embattled Government minister or their opposite number using the verbal plaster to cover anything from a little local party difficulty through to a full-blown, headline-screaming crisis.

As we end this year of the three prime ministers, Rishi Sunak’s Downing St in-tray is brimming with “challenges”. His biggest is being in control. Which, of course, he isn’t.

We’re told the PM has established a “winter of discontent” unit to draw up a convincing strategy on the welter of strikes hitting the country, the latest of which is set to involve 10,000 ambulance workers south of the border.

The Army has apparently been put on alert to drive ambulances and cover a number of hospital roles. While this may be necessary, it’s never a good look for a government and would only confirm to the public that ministers are befuddled and struggling.

The UK Government line will increasingly be one of sympathy for inflation-hit consumers but antipathy for strikers, whom ministers will accuse of putting self-interest before the national interest.

It’s a dangerous line to tread and will deepen political battle lines ahead of the 2024 election.

Yesterday, a poll gave Labour a 25-point lead over the Tories (47-22) while, menacingly for Sunak, Reform UK, formerly the Brexit Party, whose president and founder is Nigel Farage, rose four points to 9%.

But the challenges for the PM lie not just without the walls of Westminster but within them too.

As Tory MPs threaten revolt on several fronts – housing targets, onshore windfarms, Channel migrants – a poll of grassroot Conservatives showed the PM’s star is falling. He is now regarded as one of the worst-performing Cabinet ministers with a net satisfaction rating of +9; previously, he was in the top five with +49.9.

Downing St is now devising a Get Tough strategy for Sunak, transforming him from an urbane technocrat into a no-nonsense superhero; minus the cape.

This week, with lockdown protests in China, the PM declared an end to David Cameron’s “golden era” of Sino-British relations, replaced with “robust pragmatism”; whatever that means.

He came under fire for softening his rhetoric on Beijing, describing it as a “systemic challenge” – that word again – rather than a “systemic threat”.

At Westminster, as unease gushes through Conservative ranks, none other than Jacob Rees-Mogg, the pin-striped ex-minister and no Sunak crony, urged colleagues to turn down the heat, saying rebellion was “ill-advised”.

One Brexit-bruised Government adviser told the Politico website: “On any given day… it’s hard to be certain what this government has a majority for.”

The beleaguered Suella Braverman met police chiefs to stiffen their resolve in dealing with disruptive environmental campaigners, particularly with Christmas coming up.

As Channel migrants top 43,000 for 2022, the Home Secretary is also apparently compiling a list of “safe” countries to which asylum-seekers could be returned quickly.

With all the Tory turmoil, industrial strife, and the continuing economic slump – food inflation has hit a record 12.4% – Sunak yesterday faced his first ballot box test as voters chose the new City of Chester MP.

Labour was widely expected to retain the seat, having had a 6,164 majority. If so, chances are a beaming Keir Starmer will be in sunny Cheshire today, insisting a Labour victory is a verdict on the “weak and rudderless” Tory Government.

But, of course, the challenges for party leaders don’t stop at Sunak.

Nicola Sturgeon, also facing strikes and policy conflict in Scotland, has caused ructions in nationalist ranks over her de facto referendum plan. While some enthusiastically back it, others aren’t convinced and fear she is leading the SNP up a political cul-de-sac.

Ian Blackford’s imminent departure – helped along by internal party strife at Westminster – could prove another difficult challenge for the FM, who will clearly face a battle over who the new nationalist supremo is on the green benches.

That infamous Stalinist grip might start to loosen as colleagues begin to mutter about another future departure: hers.

Sturgeon’s loyal lieutenants have been highlighting the latest poll, following the Supreme Court ruling, showing support for independence at 49%(+5) compared to opposition at 45%(-2).

But the survey is a curious mix. While the SNP remained ahead on 41% (-4 on the 2019 General Election), Labour was on 31% (+12), and the Tories were on 16% (-9).

Sturgeon’s net approval rating was +16% (+2 on September 2021), Starmer’s was +11%, up a mighty 30 points from -19%, while Sunak’s was -4%, down seven.

When asked who would make a better PM, 40% said Starmer compared to 30% who said Sunak while 29% said they didn’t know.

And when people were asked which issues would determine how they would vote in a general election tomorrow, 29% said the constitution, way behind the 75% who said the economy and the 61% who said the NHS.

All of which is good news for Starmer. But he too faces his challenges.

With much of his position on the Corbyn prospectus reversed to move Labour back towards the centre ground, his biggest challenge is not snatching electoral defeat from the jaws of victory.

Having accepted the squeezed fiscal envelope set by the UK Government, the chief comrade will, as the election nears, have to start putting detail on where the axe will fall as he attempts to assure us of Labour’s determination to balance the books. Carrying that Ming vase across the polished floor is never an easy task for the Leader of the Opposition.

Of course, the ultimate challenge for any politician is ensuring their own survival. Now that the long election campaign has begun, time will begin to constrict, risky promises will increasingly be made and political differences about the future direction of our country will become starker.

Amid all the political smoke and crossfire, the humble role of the voters is to make the right choice. For some more than others, especially those used to voting in one particular way, it will, dare I say, be challenging.

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