attrition

All the evidence of the last few years is that this is a war of slow attrition and Ukraine would not retake land from Russia without massive US military support.

The current attrition rate of senior figures from the government is running at one a week this autumn.

If we then add in the Gaza independents in Parliament and those beyond who one day hope to join them, that attrition to Sir Keir Starmer's coalition goes further.

And that's the crux, fighting the wrinkle is a war of attrition.

When it wasn't a kicking contest, it was attrition all the way.