Inconsistency in Python programming language?

[Gribouillis]

Would there be any objection if a similar built-in function were to get incorporated in python too ?

I don't have an objection but I'm not in charge of the contents of the standard library. Why do you need the function to be built-in? You can very well design a separate library that contains this. Here is an example, I don't say it's the best way to do it, a pure regex implementation may be better.

import ast
import re
from tokenize import generate_tokens, NUMBER
import io

def func(s):
    t = re.sub(r'\s+', '', s)
    f = io.StringIO(t)
    for tok in generate_tokens(f.readline):
        if tok[0] == NUMBER:
            return ast.literal_eval(tok[1])
        return 0
    return 0
        
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    sample = [
        ("45", 45),
        ("4.5", 4.5),
        ("4.5ABC", 4.5),
        ("ABCD", 0),
        ("AB45", 0),
        ("   2  45  7  ", 2457),
        ("    2   4   .   5   7   ", 24.57),
        ]
    for inp, out in sample:
        assert out == func(inp)

It won't work with complex numbers however. Also it needs to be changed if there is a sign + or - in front of the number. How does the Val function handle a sign?