IF anyone was hoping the weekend would allow the nation to draw breath after the political maelstrom caused by Thursday’s election, they were to be sadly disappointed.

Saturday began with the confirmation that the supposed deal to keep Theresa May in Downing Street, was in fact still under discussion by the Conservatives and the DUP, and finished with the Prime Minister’s top two aides quitting.

Sunday morning’s round of political interviews included George Osborne referring to Mrs May as a “dead woman walking”, various senior Tories warning she must change her leadership style, and Jeremy Corbyn asserting he can “still be prime minister”.

And just when it appeared to be safe to switch off and enjoy a roast dinner, leaked messages from Boris Johnson were published urging colleagues to “calm down”, and then a Cabinet reshuffle got under way.

As it turned out, the reshuffle was largely a procession of re-appointments – Mrs May knows she is on very thin ice with most of her senior colleagues.

However the promotion of Damian Green to First Secretary of State – and de facto Deputy Prime Minister – may be the clearest signal yet of a change of direction. The former Work and Pensions Secretary campaigned for the country to remain in the EU, and he has long been an ally and friend of Mrs May.

Combined with the alliance with the soft-Brexiteers of the DUP, his elevation is surely confirmation that the pre-election obsession with a hard-Brexit is officially at an end.

But whatever the reasons behind the reshuffle, the Queen’s Speech in seven days’ time feels like an eon away. A week a long time in politics? For Mrs May, it is going to be.