Staff have been told they may have to fall on their swords to save Boris Johnson
–
Boris Johnson hit his nadir on Tuesday. During a brutal 16-minute interview the prime minister appeared defeated, at one point looking dolefully at the floor as he was asked about leaving parties in No 10 on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral.
The interview left his supporters bewildered and his critics scenting blood. “[Why the f*** was he speaking to Beth Rigby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7upXsB4ztkE) [Sky News political editor] for 16 minutes,” one senior Conservative said. “It’s mental. He’s been avoiding her for ages. It’s probably out of a desire to be out there and to be seen but his authority is just shot. He’s a lame duck. It’s a question of days and weeks now, not months.” Even in No 10, some senior figures acknowledge that his description of a Downing Street party he attended in the first lockdown as a work event was stretching credulity. His defence in the interview that “nobody said this was something that was against the rules” attracted more derision.
Allies said that there were mitigating factors. While Johnson felt worn down by the constant stream of [revelations over lockdown parties in No 10](https://archive.is/Ew42T), he was struggling on a personal level. His six-week-old daughter, [Romy, had caught coronavirus](https://archive.is/twA9q) and become very poorly, struggling to feed. Johnson was “at his wits’ end”. “They were really struggling, they weren’t sleeping. The baby came through it but she was very poorly,” allies said. By the time of prime minister’s questions the next day, Johnson appeared more up for the fight. A week earlier he had made an apology to the nation for mistakes in No 10 but urged people to wait for the findings of an [investigation by Sue Gray](https://archive.is/ukTOM), a senior civil servant, into the parties.
As he stood at the despatch box on Wednesday he made clear that he himself was not waiting — his plan was to fight on, regardless of the outcome of the report. Moments before he stood up to speak Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, defected from the Conservatives to Labour. Johnson told MPs the Tories would win back the seat in 2024, with him as prime minister.
Behind the scenes, Johnson is already making extensive preparations for a confidence vote. Whips believe it is likely that rebels will hit the threshold of 54 letters of no confidence needed to trigger a vote. Johnson has told friends: “Bring it on.”
He has established a shadow whipping team — a network of junior ministers — who have drawn up a spreadsheet of every Tory MP detailing whether they are supporters, waverers or rebels. He will this weekend spend much of his time in his study in Chequers ringing round waverers in a personal bid to shore up his support. Other cabinet ministers have been asked to do the same and will make a series of public interventions on his behalf, highlighting his decision to accelerate the booster programme and not to impose tougher lockdown curbs.
But while Johnson plans to fight on regardless of Gray’s findings, others in No 10 are increasingly worried.
Senior Downing Street figures were briefing that Johnson was going to emerge relatively unscathed — that Gray would lay out the facts but not directly contradict the prime minister. They said that they expected the report on Thursday.
A government figure who spoke to Johnson’s No 10 team said they were “totally delusional”. “They’ve convinced themselves that Gray will exonerate him and they can just go back to how things were before. It’s rubbish. The only people who think he can go on and on are in No 10.” The confidence inside No 10 has been evaporating.
[Dominic Cummings](https://archive.is/RkZGd), Johnson’s former adviser, contradicted the prime minister’s claim that he did not realise that the May 20 gathering was a party.
On his blog Cummings said that he told Johnson but the prime minister dismissed his concerns, an account rejected by Johnson in his interview with Sky News. Sources noted that when pushed, Johnson failed to repeat the denial in the Commons. They pointed out that he could be found to be in breach of the ministerial code if he has “knowingly” misled parliament.
Gray has uncovered an email to Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, from a senior official warning that the party should not go ahead because it was in breach of the rules. “It was very politely written but made clear that it was a bad idea,” one source familiar with it said.
Reynolds, who sent an email invitation to 100 staff at No 10 for the “socially-distanced drinks”, urging them to bring your own bottle, is viewed as a pivotal figure in determining Johnson’s future.
Cummings argued in his blog that Reynolds would have consulted the prime minister directly after being told that the party was in breach of the rules. Should he contradict Johnson’s account the prime minister will face fresh allegations that he had misled parliament.
Reynolds, two well-placed sources say, has been candid with Gray. “Reynolds is not willing to be the fall guy in all of this,” one government source said. “He’s talking and making his position very clear.” While the prime minister may feel determined to fight on, those around him are preparing for the fact that they may need to leave No 10. Two sources told The Times that Dan Rosenfield, the prime minister’s chief of staff, has told colleagues: “We might all need to fall on our swords here.” Rosenfield is certainly at risk. Tory MPs, even those broadly loyal to Johnson, have made clear that the price of their support is his departure while others said his management style had exacerbated divisions within the building.
One source said he had signed off on the strategy of “stonewalling” the original stories about parties in No 10 which is now seen as a critical mistake.
“When he came in [to replace Cummings] he was the outsider who would bring order,” they said. “But he is now isolated and doesn’t have any allies.” Another Johnson confidant said: “Rosenfield’s problem is that he’s not political. He will have to go.”
in case you missed this other unmissable ‘IN DEPTH’ piece from The Times today:
6 comments
Staff have been told they may have to fall on their swords to save Boris Johnson
–
Boris Johnson hit his nadir on Tuesday. During a brutal 16-minute interview the prime minister appeared defeated, at one point looking dolefully at the floor as he was asked about leaving parties in No 10 on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral.
The interview left his supporters bewildered and his critics scenting blood. “[Why the f*** was he speaking to Beth Rigby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7upXsB4ztkE) [Sky News political editor] for 16 minutes,” one senior Conservative said. “It’s mental. He’s been avoiding her for ages. It’s probably out of a desire to be out there and to be seen but his authority is just shot. He’s a lame duck. It’s a question of days and weeks now, not months.” Even in No 10, some senior figures acknowledge that his description of a Downing Street party he attended in the first lockdown as a work event was stretching credulity. His defence in the interview that “nobody said this was something that was against the rules” attracted more derision.
Allies said that there were mitigating factors. While Johnson felt worn down by the constant stream of [revelations over lockdown parties in No 10](https://archive.is/Ew42T), he was struggling on a personal level. His six-week-old daughter, [Romy, had caught coronavirus](https://archive.is/twA9q) and become very poorly, struggling to feed. Johnson was “at his wits’ end”. “They were really struggling, they weren’t sleeping. The baby came through it but she was very poorly,” allies said. By the time of prime minister’s questions the next day, Johnson appeared more up for the fight. A week earlier he had made an apology to the nation for mistakes in No 10 but urged people to wait for the findings of an [investigation by Sue Gray](https://archive.is/ukTOM), a senior civil servant, into the parties.
As he stood at the despatch box on Wednesday he made clear that he himself was not waiting — his plan was to fight on, regardless of the outcome of the report. Moments before he stood up to speak Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, defected from the Conservatives to Labour. Johnson told MPs the Tories would win back the seat in 2024, with him as prime minister.
Behind the scenes, Johnson is already making extensive preparations for a confidence vote. Whips believe it is likely that rebels will hit the threshold of 54 letters of no confidence needed to trigger a vote. Johnson has told friends: “Bring it on.”
He has established a shadow whipping team — a network of junior ministers — who have drawn up a spreadsheet of every Tory MP detailing whether they are supporters, waverers or rebels. He will this weekend spend much of his time in his study in Chequers ringing round waverers in a personal bid to shore up his support. Other cabinet ministers have been asked to do the same and will make a series of public interventions on his behalf, highlighting his decision to accelerate the booster programme and not to impose tougher lockdown curbs.
But while Johnson plans to fight on regardless of Gray’s findings, others in No 10 are increasingly worried.
Senior Downing Street figures were briefing that Johnson was going to emerge relatively unscathed — that Gray would lay out the facts but not directly contradict the prime minister. They said that they expected the report on Thursday.
A government figure who spoke to Johnson’s No 10 team said they were “totally delusional”. “They’ve convinced themselves that Gray will exonerate him and they can just go back to how things were before. It’s rubbish. The only people who think he can go on and on are in No 10.” The confidence inside No 10 has been evaporating.
[Dominic Cummings](https://archive.is/RkZGd), Johnson’s former adviser, contradicted the prime minister’s claim that he did not realise that the May 20 gathering was a party.
On his blog Cummings said that he told Johnson but the prime minister dismissed his concerns, an account rejected by Johnson in his interview with Sky News. Sources noted that when pushed, Johnson failed to repeat the denial in the Commons. They pointed out that he could be found to be in breach of the ministerial code if he has “knowingly” misled parliament.
Gray has uncovered an email to Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, from a senior official warning that the party should not go ahead because it was in breach of the rules. “It was very politely written but made clear that it was a bad idea,” one source familiar with it said.
Reynolds, who sent an email invitation to 100 staff at No 10 for the “socially-distanced drinks”, urging them to bring your own bottle, is viewed as a pivotal figure in determining Johnson’s future.
Cummings argued in his blog that Reynolds would have consulted the prime minister directly after being told that the party was in breach of the rules. Should he contradict Johnson’s account the prime minister will face fresh allegations that he had misled parliament.
Reynolds, two well-placed sources say, has been candid with Gray. “Reynolds is not willing to be the fall guy in all of this,” one government source said. “He’s talking and making his position very clear.” While the prime minister may feel determined to fight on, those around him are preparing for the fact that they may need to leave No 10. Two sources told The Times that Dan Rosenfield, the prime minister’s chief of staff, has told colleagues: “We might all need to fall on our swords here.” Rosenfield is certainly at risk. Tory MPs, even those broadly loyal to Johnson, have made clear that the price of their support is his departure while others said his management style had exacerbated divisions within the building.
One source said he had signed off on the strategy of “stonewalling” the original stories about parties in No 10 which is now seen as a critical mistake.
“When he came in [to replace Cummings] he was the outsider who would bring order,” they said. “But he is now isolated and doesn’t have any allies.” Another Johnson confidant said: “Rosenfield’s problem is that he’s not political. He will have to go.”
in case you missed this other unmissable ‘IN DEPTH’ piece from The Times today:
>[Times: Boris Johnson (and his photographer) clock up the miles](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnson-and-photographer-clock-up-miles-65tvql58k)
>
>The prime minister appears keen to escape Downing Street — making 70 trips in the past six months, writes Tom Ball
>
>(mirror link: https://archive.is/uhPnJ)
The thing at the end where the PM threatens to get rid of the 1922 Committee seems ill-advised if you’re trying to keep backbench Tory MPs on side.
Is a ‘nest of adders’ better than or inferior to vipers?
They don’t act like accountants…they are terrible with money
Awwww. 🙁
I was hoping someone finally did the humane thing and gassed these fuckers.
Apparently I misunderstood the headline. Shame.