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Today’s case in the Supreme Court might end Johnson’s time as Prime Minister. Even if it doesn’t, that the case is even happening is a result of a series of errors and gaffes.
At every turn Johnson has gone for the dangerous, hardline option rather than the conciliatory route.
At every turn Johnson has gone for the dangerous, hardline option rather than the conciliatory route.
During the Tory leadership election he did not need to be as hardline on Brexit as he was. He was darling of the party *anyway*.
He did not need to commit to leaving by 31 October at all costs.
He did not need to commit to leaving by 31 October at all costs.
When assembling his cabinet he did not need to purge his opponents so completely - removing Jeremy Hunt was a bad call.
An olive branch could have been offered to Hammond, Gauke, Clark but was not.
An olive branch could have been offered to Hammond, Gauke, Clark but was not.
Appointing Cummings as a SpAd and then tolerating his bad behaviour (towards Javid’s advisor Khan for example) inflamed things still further.
When setting out his Brexit line he could have been open to more forms of compromise and put more effort in from the start. By banging on only about the “antidemocratic” Backstop he put himself in a corner.
May - admittedly too late - tried to find some Brexit common ground with Labour. Johnson hasn’t even tried. By doubling down on his critique of Labour and Corbyn there’s no hope Labour will give him anything.
Prorogation of Parliament was ridiculously inflammatory and unnecessary. It forced the Commons to unite, and to unite fast, against Johnson. Had he not done it his room for manoeuvre today would have been wider.
Withdrawing the whip from 21 Tories - including Clarke, Hammond and Soames - looks vindictive and hypocritical, as Johnson himself had twice voted against Theresa May’s Deal.
The hardline rhetoric that No Deal had to still be kept on the table so as to get a Deal from the EU was also needlessly antagonistic. Since the Benn Bill passed, Johnson has stepped up efforts to get a Deal.
His two efforts to bounce Labour into going for a General Election didn’t work - Labour understood how 15 Oct for a GE would be to Johnson’s advantage. The play was too obvious.
And then yesterday he somehow infuriated Xavier Bettel enough to make the Luxembourg PM do a press conference on his own.
And throughout all of this Johnson has waffled, lied, delivered horrible and ill prepared speeches.
He’s made Theresa May look reasonable in comparison.
And all this in 2 months.
He’s made Theresa May look reasonable in comparison.
And all this in 2 months.
He might yet somehow survive. But he’s obliterated so much, so quickly, it’s quite breathtaking. And actually breathtaking in its foolishness.
/ends
/ends
