British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned today after a series of scandals did him in, with key members of his Cabinet resigning in the last few days. Johnson famously backed Nigel Farage’s attempt leave the European Union AKA Brexit to separate the U,K. from the EU. Unlike Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May, Johnson accomplished the feat of leaving the EU Jan. 31, 2020, after much wrangling. May simply, during her term in office, didn’t believe in Brexit, giving Johnson the opportunity to oust May from office July 24, 2019. While Johnson assumed office July 24, 2019, he asks the British people for patience until his Tory Party can cobble together his replacement. Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords don’t want Johnson to hang around as caretaker Prime Minister until the Conservative Party picks his replacement.
Johnson’s scandal piled up on him starting in June 21, 2019 when a domestic dispute with his 31-year-old girlfriend Carrie Symmonds was recorded by British tabloids. Less than one month later, Johnson was sworn in as Prime Minister July 14, 2019. Johnson was rewarded by the Tory Party from the active role he played in completing Brexit. “It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party, and therefore a new PM,” Johnson said today. “I today appointed a Cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place,” Johnson said. Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said there was “no way he can stay on until October. It’s arrant nonsense to think he can.” Former Prime Minister John Major threw in his two cents saying Johnson should not stay as Party leader until this fall or when the Tory Party picks a new leader.
Major was adamant about Johnson leaving at the earliest possible time. “For the overall well-being of the country, Mr. Johnsson should not remain in Downing Street—when he is unable to command the confidence of the House of Commons—for any longer than necessary to effect the smooth transition of government,” Major wrote. Labour Party, opposition leader, Keir Starmer said the Johnson “needs to go.” If Johnson doesn’t go soon, Starmer said he would seek a no confidence vote in the House of Commons. One way or another, Johnson will be out sometime soon. Members of Parliament and his Cabinet got fed up with all Johnson’s scandals, including, the straw the broke the camel’s back, when Johnson appointed Chris Pincher as a government minister after he was accused of groping two men. Johnson’s detractors claim that Johnson knew the charges against Pincher before his appointment.
Once dozens of members of Johnson’s Cabinet resigned, the handwriting was on the walls about his resignation. Johnson survived a recent no confidence vote by the Tory Pary, after he was fined for violation Covid-19 protocols hosting parties at his official residence while ignoring strict pandemic rules. Only yesterday, Johnson remained defiant in the House of Commons. “Frankly . . . the job of the prime minister is difficult circumstances, when he’s been hand ed a colossal mandate, is to keep going,” Johnson told the House of Commons. ”That what I’m going to do,” Johnson said yesterday before today’s resignation. “Threading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months, and Mr. Speaker, I will never risk losing my integrity,” said former Health Minister Sajid Jaavid. Johnson’s three-year term as prime minister ends with a bang.
Johnson came to power after repetitive failures by Theresa May to get a Brexit deal through the British Parliament. Johnson came up the ranks jumping from a popular journalist to the mayor of London May 3, 2008. Living through the July 7, 2005 London Tube attack and other forms of Mideast terrorism, Johnson’s rise launched a political career becoming London mayor May 3, 2008. Johnson was repaid by the Tory Party and Parliament after fighting hard with Nigel Farage to end Britain’s ties to the EU. He’s been a tough negotiator with the EU on trade restrictions after the Jan. 31, 2020 Brexit date. Johnson had received so much national attention on Brexit, May offered him the Foreign Minister post in 2018. May couldn’t pull of Brexit, forced to resign July 24, 2019, handing the Prime Minster to Johnson, something unexpected by normal British political standards.
Johnson was just too erratic emotionally to command enough respect and stability with his own Cabinet and members of Parliament. Johnson’s past domestic abuse allegations and his defiant pandemic parties showed the Tory Party that he was a loose cannon, not fit to serve as prime minister. Whether he tries to stick around before picking his successor, Johnson will continue to get pressure to step down. Johnson no longer has any mandate as prime minister, only one that tells him to exit No. 10 Downing Street at the earliest possible time. Whatever comparison to former President Donald Trump, Boris’s trademark floppy blond hair no longer amuses the British press or members of Parliament. Chris Pincher’s scandal might have been the last straw but the Tory Party knew for the last three years that Boris was a liability to the Conservative Party that needed to get off the political stage.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’d editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
