He’ll limp on but is doomed

BORIS Johnson’s past caught up with him last night as the great escapologist, who has spent his life evading one scandal after another, was finally cornered.

Despite all the arm-twisting, promises of promotion and threats by his supporters, many Conservative backbenchers concluded that enough was enough.

Too many times they had heard his pledges to do things differently.

They no longer believed his claims he could turn things around or that he would prove his detractors wrong.

They realised, like his long-suffering former wives and partners, that he will cheat on them again. And again.

None of this should have been a surprise. All the reasons Johnson was unsuitable to be PM – his incompetence, dishonesty, rulebreaking and monstrous self-regard – were obvious before they elected him leader.

The only thing in his favour was an ability to appeal to voters other Tories struggled to reach – a “Heineken” quality that served him well until his reputation went flat.

With a few honourable exceptions, the majority of Tory MPs did not want him out of office for the honourable reason of wishing to restore dignity in Downing Street, but because he had become ballot box poison.

He will limp on but struggle to shake the sense of doom engulfing his premiership.

If 148 Tory MPs think he is unfit to lead, how can he persuade voters otherwise?

The Conservatives are now paying the price for their dalliance with Johnson.

Theirs is a party with no direction, no longer confident of what it stands for and fatally riven by infighting.