Terminal Tories

Dominic Grieve does a good job of describing the amoral abyss into which his old party sank as Johnson fought for survival ( Prospect online, July). But it was evident from before Johnson became prime minister that he was a disaster in any responsible office. His turn as foreign secretary was an international embarrassment. He was an amusing journalist, and the Spectator under his editorship had a joie de vivre it now lacks. His conduct from the moment he became PM— and indeed an MP—was entirely self-centred: he (with the connivance of so many other Tory MPs) expelled any Conservative MP who did not toe his line, however wrong his line might have been.

The sooner the Conservatives are in opposition, the better. They desperately need a period of quiet reflection, as well as a grown-up new leader. Alas, Labour is still probably some years off being electable.

Simon Cockshutt, via the website