If Boris Johnson thought his nightmarish week was over, he was mistaken
IF BORIS JOHNSON thought his nightmarish week was over, on Saturday night he was proved mistaken. The previous few days had seen the prime minister lose his majority in Parliament, control of his Brexit strategy, and even the support of his own brother, Jo, who resigned as a junior minister and Tory MP. Yet late on Saturday Mr Johnson suffered a new setback: the first resignation from his cabinet. Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, quit both the cabinet and the Conservative Party.
Ms Rudd resigned with no notice, and in devastating style. Her letter described the prime minister’s purge this week of 21 moderate Tories who had voted against the government as “an assault on decency and democracy”. More damaging still was her criticism of his Brexit policy. Mr Johnson claims that he wants to get a new and improved exit deal from the European Union, and that Britain will leave with no deal only if that approach fails.
For Mr Johnson, more pain lies ahead. On Monday a bill forcing him to request an extension of the Brexit negotiating period, beyond the October 31st deadline, is expected to become law. The government is desperate to call an election ahead of this date, to give it the chance to overturn the legislation. Yet on Monday it is expected to lose a vote required for such an election to take place.
Tories comfort themselves with the fact that, in spite of their shocking week, they remain well ahead in the polls. Surveys out this weekend have the Conservatives some ten points in front of Labour, whose far-left leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is much less liked than Mr Johnson. The prime minister seems to be in campaign mode, expecting an election soon, even if he has to wait longer for one than he might like.
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