Can you smell something?
FEW things galvanise the media like a political scandal, especially one that involves a litany of alleged government misdoings.
The current commotion originally arose when some questionable lobbying of ministers by ex-pm David Cameron came to light.
This is not exactly a new phenomenon. In bygone days, hopefuls looking to gain positions or patronage could be found camped out in anterooms at the royal courts.
As power shifted from monarchs to elected legislatures, so those seeking favours relocated their efforts to the parliamentary lobby, hence the name.
What’s important in a modern democracy is that the process of influencing decisionmakers is liable to public scrutiny. The fact that Cameron’s activities only came to light through a series of leaks tells us much about the government’s transparency, or rather, the lack of it.
Despite official assurances that ministers have done nothing wrong and that details will be forthcoming, this is already an administration with a record of promising “full accounts” that somehow never manage to see the light of day.
In a questionable effort at retaliation, Downing Street’s leak detector singled out an embittered ex-aide with questionable eyesight.
This suggestion as to the identity of a “chatty rat” was snapped up by newspapers who were certain Dominic Cummings would respond in kind. Dom didn’t let them down.
The former right-hand man was soon reportedly saying some rather nasty things about his old boss – and promising sight of a dossier blaming Johnson for how UK borders were still open months after the Covid outbreak.
Labour have struggled to keep pace. That’s because this is not something they put out there. Even so, while they should be promising to clean up politics if in power, they come across instead like classroom tattle-tales who complain to Miss that the big boys are being naughty.
Meanwhile, you can feel frustration among Tory backbenchers as an accidentprone leadership keeps dropping the ball. If it’s not costly flat renovations or alleged tax deals then it’s alleged comments about piles of bodies and even suggestions that ministers had advance knowledge of the European Super League.
No-one has yet broken ranks, but a former minister anonymously shared the view that the party regards Johnson’s leadership as a transactional arrangement. So long as he continues to deliver votes, his position is secure and people are prepared to put up with his goofs. Things will change the moment he falters.
A good result next Thursday could have the PM smelling of success. If he does badly, then the whiff of something else could get stronger.