‘Arrogant and delusional’

Johnson had been clinging on to power despite a wave of more than 50 government resignations, expressing defiance late Wednesday. But Thursday’s departure of education minister Michelle Donelan and a plea to quit from finance minister Nadhim Zahawi, only in their jobs for two days, appeared to tip the balance along with warnings of a new no-confidence vote by Tory MPs. Johnson triumphed in 2019 with a vow to “get Brexit done” following Britain’s shock referendum decision three years prior. But for many, the populist, convention-defying leader had outstayed his welcome.

The Conservative infighting erupted at a time when millions of Britons are battling the worst slump in living standards since the 1950s, fuelling by rocketing energy prices on back of the war in Ukraine. Before the economic crisis, Johnson’s popularity had already slumped over a series of lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street, which saw him become the first prime minister to receive a police fine. “About time, isn’t it? Seriously, I mean have you ever known anyone be so arrogant, ignorant, delusional?” Helen Dewdney, 53, who works in consumer rights, told AFP. While Johnson oversaw a successful Covid vaccine campaign he also oversaw one of Europe’s worst death tolls, and nearly died himself from Covid in April 2020. Johnson late on Wednesday sacked minister Michael Gove, with a Downing Street source describing his former Brexit right-hand-man as a “snake” in the media.

Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid quit late Tuesday after Johnson apologised for his February appointment of senior Conservative MP Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip. Pincher was forced to step down following accusations he drunkenly groped two men. Days of shifting explanations followed the resignation, before Downing Street finally conceded that Johnson had known about Pincher’s behaviour as far back as 2019.