Each scandal may seem less than fatal, but they are adding up to a damaging sense of drift and decay - and a feeling that the PM’s days must be numbered.
| The endgame has now begun for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s beleaguered premiership, as cabinet ministers begin defecting to the ranks of the rebellious.
Mr Johnson quickly suspended him, but over the weekend it became clear that this was not an isolated incident - Mr Pincher’s “handsy” tendencies were widely known in Westminster circles. Later, the line became that he was unaware of any “specific allegation”. Then, that he was unaware of any “serious specific allegation”. Now, he realises that he “failed to recall” having been told about a serious, specific allegation.Behind the absurdity, and Mr Pincher’s erstwhile obscurity, the story was serious: it reconfirmed a set of Tory concerns about Mr Johnson that are wide, deep and now quite longstanding.
As if all this wasn’t enough, the unhappy MPs have a broader anxiety. The number of scandals surrounding Conservative MPs - including ‘partygate’, porn-watching and even rape - is prompting a public view that Mr Johnson’s own character flaws leave him incapable of setting an example or standard, The Tory rebels argue that because Mr Johnson and his team cannot get a grip on this relentless series of political scandals, they are unable to take charge of the news cycle and the political narrative - leaving the party perilously exposed to voter anger and frustration.
Under Conservative Party rules, his partyroom victory last month - underwhelming though it was - protects him from another such challenge for 12 months.
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