A new suspicion of lies by the Prime Minister is exhausting the patience of the Conservative majority
Johnson on the brink of collapse. That is the most common expression on the front pages of the British media after the resignations on Tuesday of two key ministers – the Treasury, Rishi Sunak, and the Health, Sajid Javid – and other government officials. The parliamentary faction’s divisions over Johnson’s leadership now extend to the cabinet, sharpening the confrontation between factions.
Population sentiment is also sliding in favor of his departure. A YouGov poll shows that 69% of Britons want him to resign. For the first time, there is a majority of conservative voters, 59% to 33%, who do not want him as party leader and prime minister. Johnson has filled in the gaps in the cabinet and is not thinking of stepping down.
Boris Johnson is polarizing public opinion. It has penetrated areas previously closed to conservatives but ‘Brexit’ proponents. ‘Tories’ who voted for permanence in the European Union join the condemnation of voters from the Labor opposition, Scottish independents and Liberal Democrats. But neither in the opposition nor in his party are there popular candidates to replace him.
Praised for his swift and forceful response to the invasion of Ukraine, he has spearheaded a messy and contradictory strategy to combat the crisis of rising costs and managing the economy. The media portrays him as a prime minister who favors low taxes and high government spending, a perspective on the economy that would have created an already unsustainable tension with Minister Sunak.
But the greatest deterioration in his reputation as a ruler has been the constant immersion of the country’s politics in absurd episodes, exacerbated in earnest by the leader’s behavior. With the embers still alive from ‘partygate’ – the name by which the numerous illegal gatherings on Downins Street are known during the pandemic restrictions – Johnson has become entangled in the Pincher case.
The Conservative MP and one of those responsible for the discipline of the Parliamentary Group, Charles Pincher, was charged last week by two men, whom he sexually harassed when he was drunk. Johnson initially said no one had warned him about other incidents before mentioning him. He would have been notified five times. The prime minister now claims that he did not remember.
Downing Street is a ship in perpetual crisis where chaos reigns. That description of those who know the workings of the Prime Minister’s Office matches the perception of the public. It would confirm the established theory about the impact that the personality of leaders has on the organizations they lead. Johnson lives in a somewhat chaotic way.
He is also a lucky guy. After the uprising of 148 ‘Tory’ deputies who voted for his resignation, a short parliamentary recess started on 6 June. After defeats – including one spectacular – in two elections to replace Conservative MPs on 23 June, he undertook a lengthy international tour that took him out of the country at a critical time.
The reception in foreign affairs of government leaders with domestic problems has been torn apart after their return. But the conspiracies to bring it down have also had their days numbered. The parliamentary summer recess starts on 21 July. The committee that would organize a new confidence vote will be renewed next week. The rebels must hurry to destroy their vacation.
This Wednesday, Johnson will undergo weekly questions to the Prime Minister and a lengthy committee hearing. If there are no more resignations in the cabinet, he will try to weather the storm. The Labor Keir Starmer has told him he will support the call for early elections, which would require the prime minister to go to the polls and avoid the current abyss with a very risky strategy.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
