With knife wound still visible Johnson is finished but who will be next in line?

Britain’s first prime minister appointed after Brexit could have brown skin. No one saw that coming. First though, the assassination of Boris Johnson. If forensics swabbed the knife in his back, they could build a DNA database of the entire Conservative party.

Journalism needs leaks. Politicians revealing secrets is a healthy part of our democracy – things get out into the light of day. It’s one of the ways the all-controlling SNP holds power – no leaks gives the impression of competence.

But this many leaks at once? That stinks of deliberation.

A tip-off reveals there is a Whatsapp group dedicated to promoting Liz Truss as an alternative prime minister.

Another tip-off sends the Mirror’s political correspondent down the trail of Downing Street Christmas parties.

A third puts ITV on to the existence of video showing Allegra Stratton garroting her career.

It is usually best to favour the cock-up explanation in politics. This is the exception: a conspiracy driven by Tory right wingers which others in the party are happy to support.

So up pops Liz Truss on a tank looking like a rag-doll Thatcher and profusely denying any ambition.

Here’s Rishi Sunak pledging he’s for low tax – hinting it was bad Boris who pumped up the spending.

Douglas Ross can barely contain his judgment and Ruth Davidson is long past caring about the PM.

And now we have a massive Commons rebellion against Johnson’s Covid restrictions, alongside yet more revelations about the Christmas parties.

At the time of writing, Boris Johnson is still in office. That will not last.

More things will leak, more support will drain from him, talk of rivals will increase.

The public are turning. No longer Boris the lad but Boris the liar.

So minds turn to who the next Tory leader will be and how will they sum up the state of post-brexit Britain.

First let’s dismiss the no-hopers. Truss is a non-starter. A useful character to deploy at this stage, allowing people to imagine life beyond Boris, but of no popular appeal. Not much depth or skill either.

Given the next prime minister needs to win an election in order to hold the post, Truss can never be considered a front runner. She doesn’t have the support.

Dominic Raab will think he’s a dark horse. Unfortunately the rest of the party have him down as a donkey.

Michael Gove has the talent and seriousness but lacks the popular touch. Granted, dancing in an Aberdeen night club humanised him, but he’s a series of Strictly away from being loved.

Which leaves Sajid Javid, Rishi Sunak or Priti Patel. Of those, Patel doesn’t have it. Her trip to Israel which broke ministerial rules remains a mysterious episode and her performance over Channel migrants has been disastrous. She has united xenophobes and liberals against her.

She also carries a vaguely sinister air about her. Which is good for crime bosses, less so for democratic politicians.

And so there are two. It’s best to remember that in Tory leadership races, the front candidates rarely win.

However, this time it could come down to everyone’s favourite billionaire, Rishi Sunak, or the guy you could talk to in the pub, over an orange juice, Sajid Javid.

It’s not quite our Obama moment. Britain doesn’t compare to the institutional oppression of black citizens of the USA, but ours is still significant.

But whoever the next PM is, they will have the job of summarising where Britain stands.

The Northern Ireland protocol is in dispute. The UK’S borders are still an issue. Migrants are resisted, but a labour shortage is stopping growth, and higher wages are contributing to inflation.

The next Tory prime minister will need an assessment of Brexit and a vision for Britain which is currently lacking.

Perhaps surprisingly, it will have to be more international and inclusive than anyone might have thought a few years ago. Especially if the candidate has brown skin.

The shires struggled with Meghan Markle’s ethnicity, and at least some of the

The public are turning. No longer Boris the lad but Boris the liar.

Brexit appeal was about a “return” to sentimental England.

Boris joshed that Brexit was Britain’s Independence Day. It will be instructive to see if those who agreed can welcome our first brown prime minister.

■ Alex Bell is former head of policy to Alex Salmond’s government. He was named Columnist of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards in 2021.

FACES IN RACE: Priti Patel, Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid are among the front runners to replace Boris Johnson in Number Ten.