In the end it took a farce to force the Prime Minister out of office. His newly appointed Education Secretary, Michelle Donelan, appointed on Tuesday evening, resigned less than 48 hours later. Posting her resignation letter on Twitter, it surely marked the shortest ever Cabinet career. This, a far cry, from what appears to have been the longest ever attempt to remove a Prime Minister.
Within the mess, the specific scandal which finally bought Johnson down must not be forgotten. Chris Pincher, MP for Tamworth and formerly Government Deputy Chief Whip, allegedly disgraced himself in the Carlton Club by groping individuals. An MP with previous form - forced to resign in November 2017 during the first Pestminster scandal - he was clearly placed in an immense position of power and authority. Authority over the welfare of MPs. As ever, it’s the cover-up, not the original scandal, which causes a leader’s downfall. It happened with Richard Nixon over Watergate and the same is true here. The question of what Johnson knew about Pincher when he appointed him was up in the air, creating a state of confusion. Such were the number of allegations against Pincher that being completely ignorant of his behaviour, at least in the Westminster village, seemed utterly disingenuous. As minister after minister appeared on the media - forced to admit they were relying on the Downing Street Press Office for precise information - their embarrassment became stronger and their credibility fell away. Such is the speed at which events move, that it’s tricky to forget just where we were on Wednesday 6th July. Johnson appeared at Prime Minister’s Questions and in front of the Liaison Committee, refusing to resign. He was almost daring his colleagues to be defiant and remove him from office. It seemed a change to the confidence vote rules in the 1922 Committee rules would be inevitable. If Johnson was to be forced from office, he didn’t want to make it easy or dignified. Instead, he would crash and burn. Besides, it would make a better memoir. And that’s what matters. Yet, in the end, no confidence vote was forced. Johnson, having slept on the matter, woke up on Thursday 7th July and realised the writing was on the wall. Technically, his government could not function without so many ministers. Politically, he recognised the game was up (and dislikes being a loser). If he wanted to retain any credibility, there was no choice but to bid farewell. While talk of a caretaker Prime Minister appears to have all but sunk, it is clear the final weeks and months of Johnson’s premiership will involve no major radical changes. So, who comes next? To me, the individual person is less important. Unlike the former Conservative logo, I hold no torch for any candidate. Instead, I want a leader who can offer a credible response to the war in Ukraine, deal with inflation and has a long term vision for the UK. Instinctively, this last aim is harder to achieve. The constraints of electoral democracy can mean thinking about the next five years, and a guaranteed election victory, take precedent over long term solutions. Any future leader should embody the radicalism of Johnson’s style, if not the substance of what he was able to deliver. A return to Cameronite conservatism - which obsessed with reducing government spending over all else - or a lurch to culture war obsessions would both be immensely regretful. There are sensible, pragmatic ways to discuss culture, such as Tomiwa Owolade's fantastic UnHerd article defending the study of Larkin in schools, but this is so often absent from any discussion. The option of technocratic governance or social division does not look desirable to voters. Rather, both a benefit for the country and a guaranteed election winner is the leader who has the courage to understand and implement an economic strategy that reverses our productivity crisis and expands economic growth, both of which are vital for prosperity. This will involve increased housing, widespread transport and numerous infrastructure projects. Naturally, NIMBY lobbyists will oppose such changes, but the government must have the confidence to deliver. However, such radicalism looks unlikely. Part of the reason Johnson faced such opposition was his repeated attack on institutions, severely undermining Peter Hennessy’s ‘good chaps’ theory of government. Instead, whoever becomes leader who have the confidence to retain institutions while implementing widespread changes. Radicalism and respect should not be mutually exclusive. Technocracy and managerialism must not prevail, but rather, an ideological pursuit for economic growth. Ultimately, Johnson’s rise came out of an insecure coalition. Seen as breaking the Brexit deadline and defeating Jeremy Corbyn, individuals who may not otherwise have supported Johnson were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in such an unprecedented scenario. After Johnson had achieved a Conservative victory in 2019, his purpose suddenly became far less clear. The pre-Covid heydays of January and February 2020 are easily forgotten, but the Downing Street boycott of the Today programme and plans to cancel the licence fee were top of the agenda. Only when the government was overtaken by events (dear boy, events) did such a u-turn come to an end. Almost as soon as the Covid pandemic receded in severity in autumn 2021 (barring Omicron), Johnson’s vision vanished. Aspirations of Levelling Up were commendable, though naming a government department after it was a poor judgment. Yet, as soon as the Owen Paterson scandal unfolded last November, there was no room for recovery. Johnson’s vision and purpose really became about defending the indefensible and seeing what he could get away with. As the Partygate inquiries and Sue Gray report unfolded, alongside a Metropolitan Police investigation, Johnson's credibility became untenable, even when he managed to remain in Downing Street. It is quite remarkable to remember that we have a Prime Minister who received a fine from the police, yet carried on in office. Now, his tenure - with or without a Chequers wedding party - is to draw to a close. While it is vital his period in office is not forgotten, determining both a new leader and their wider direction is essential for the nation’s sake. As Martin Lewis said on Newsnight, so many face such a tough winter ahead. The help that a government - and new Prime Minister - is willing and able to provide is crucial.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Author:Noah enjoys writing a blog and drinking tea Archives
September 2022
Categories
All
|