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Five years ago, in his triumphant victory speech, Macron pledged to cut the ground from under Le Pen’s feet by assuaging the voter anger she feeds on.

“See, then,” said Herbert; “think of this! He comes here at the peril of his life, for the realisation of his fixed idea. In the moment of realisation, after all his toil and waiting, you cut the ground from under his feet, destroy his idea, and make his gains worthless to him. Do you see nothing that he might do, under the disappointment?”

Insiders say it wasn't his choice and he'd been overtaken by changing evidence about the virus - but it cut the ground from under him and left Mr Williamson once again looking beleaguered and besieged, fending off hostile questions.

President Trump appears to have cut the ground from under his Iranian counterpart's feet.

His peace plan aims to cut the ground from under the separatists by pushing reforms that will bring greater autonomy and expand Russian language rights.