He just quit as Tory leader… but he’s sticking around for one final party.
You may have noticed some, er, drama across the pond this week. Given how fast-moving events in the U.K. were, you’d be forgiven for being a little hazy on the details. Here’s the CliffsNotes version…
Boris Johnson has quit his job… sort of
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned in disgrace as leader of the Conservative party yesterday. His admission of defeat followed two rampageous days that saw 60 of his Conservative lawmakers resign in outrage over his handling of an MP who Johnson appointed to a key disciplinary role — even though he knew he’d been accused of sexual assault. That MP’s name? Chris Pincher. Yes, really.
Pincher was suspended after the story of his alleged misconduct broke last week. Johnson initially denied he had any idea of the claims against him, but it later became clear that he’d known all along, and had apparently quipped “Pincher by name, Pincher by nature.”
What was known about Chris Pincher?
At least part of Pincher’s chequered history is a matter of public record. He resigned from the whips’ office — the administrative group that ensures members of a political party toe line both politically and in their personal conduct— in 2017, after claims that he’d made unwanted moves on a colleague. A source said he’d behaved like a “pound shop Harvey Weinstein”.
Pincher was cleared by a party investigation, but more allegations have been made since. Westminster insiders claim that his predatory reputation was an “open secret” for some time — as Johnson was apparently aware when he gave him back his old job of Deputy Chief Whip in February.
Pincher was finally forced to resign last week, after The Sun newspaper reported that Pincher had allegedly groped two men while at London’s Carlton Club. The report constitutes the sixth scandal involving the alleged sexual misconduct of an MP in Johnson’s government. Johnson’s laissez-faire approach to his employees’ welfare is especially horrifying given that one in five people in the U.K. Parliament have been subjected to sexual harassment.
How did Johnson behave under pressure?
As the Conservatives’ ire over the scandal grew, Johnson’s behavior became increasingly erratic. He fired Michael Gove, one of his most senior allies, even as he struggled to appoint people to ministerial positions that were emptying faster than he could fill them.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, a question-and-answer session in the House of Commons that’s broadcast to the public every Wednesday, opposition leader Keir Starmer read out an accusation from a man who says he “froze” when he was groped by Chris Pincher.
“I accept that’s not easy listening,” said Starmer. “But it’s a reminder to all those propping up this prime minister just how serious the situation is. He knew the accused minister had previously committed predatory behavior, but he promoted him to a position of power anyway – why?”
Johnson blustered defiance throughout the session. During a committee meeting a few hours later, he suggested that the reason behind Pincher’s alleged abusive behavior was that he “couldn’t handle his drink.”
All the while, Twitter was flooded with photographs of resignation letters from Conservatives who said their “integrity” would not allow them to serve under Johnson. They came so thick and fast that an account was set up rating them for “originality, brevity, brutality, damage-infliction and future prospects.”
Later, Johnson’s replacement Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, joined the chorus begging him to quit just hours after starting his new job.
So is Johnson actually leaving?
Strangest of all, Johnson’s fudged resignation speech midday Thursday — which he closed unceremoniously by shrugging “them’s the breaks” — didn’t actually include the word “resign.” He gave the impression he intended to keep working as Prime Minister until his party chooses its new leader. That’s possible in theory, since for Johnson to quit fully, he’d have to tender his resignation to the Queen. She would then appoint a new Prime Minister under the advice of the ruling party.
There are ways that the Conservatives could force Johnson out, but given he’s signaled his imminent exit, it seems likely they’ll instead turn their attention to a new leadership contest. That being said, British politics is far from predictable these days, and if it looks as though Johnson may attempt any bold policy moves, his party may lose patience.
And… what’s this about another party?
Johnson seems determined to keep acting as leader until the Conservative party conference in the fall. Word on the street is he’d hoped to use Chequers, the PM’s country residence, for a party celebrating his wedding to his wife Carrie before he actually leaves — a bold notion for a man who hosted multiple illegal soirees in Number 10 over lockdown. As of Friday morning, it appeared that Johnson and Carrie had shifted their plans.
Back in February, a report on the illicit parties compiled by senior civil servant Sue Gray described a culture of “excessive” workplace drinking during the pandemic and condemned Johnson and his cabinet for “failures of leadership and judgment.” Johnson, along with a number of his colleagues, was subsequently found by British police to have broken the law by hosting gatherings in lockdown, and was fined, along with 82 others.
Even worse, in the eyes of many of the British public, Johnson repeatedly lied about the fact the parties had taken place. One of those held at No.10 raged into the small hours the night before Prince Philip’s funeral — which his widow the Queen attended alone, due to social distancing.
