If Boris Johnson survives as Prime Minister, he could destroy the Conservative party – Scotsman comment

At long last, two senior Cabinet ministers have reached the conclusion they all should have done months ago: Boris Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister.
By Scotsman comment
Published 6th Jul 2022, 04:55 BST
 Comment
Boris Johnson invited in the cameras for a Cabinet meeting at Downing Street yesterday. Just a few hours later, Chancellor Rishi Sunak resigned (Picture: Justin Tallis/PA)Boris Johnson invited in the cameras for a Cabinet meeting at Downing Street yesterday. Just a few hours later, Chancellor Rishi Sunak resigned (Picture: Justin Tallis/PA)
Boris Johnson invited in the cameras for a Cabinet meeting at Downing Street yesterday. Just a few hours later, Chancellor Rishi Sunak resigned (Picture: Justin Tallis/PA)

The resignations of Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who said plainly that Johnson had lost his confidence, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, whose criticisms were less explicit, came after the Prime Minister’s claim, relayed by Cabinet ministers, that he had not been told about allegations against Chris Pincher MP before appointing him as deputy chief whip was comprehensively refuted by a former senior civil servant, Simon McDonald.

The cross-bench peer knew the truth – that Johnson was briefed about a 2019 complaint against Pincher – and, crucially, he was willing to make it public. Had he kept quiet or not been in a position to speak out, the scandal might have blown over, leaving only lingering suspicions that Johnson must have known.