Downing Street solely focused on keeping ‘monstrous ego’ Boris Johnson in power, says Rory Stewart

No 10 ‘is just about one thing, which is survival of prime minister,’ says former minister

Rory Stewart has said the entire Downing Street operation is now focused solely on trying to keep “monstrous ego” Boris Johnson in power, as he warned about the erosion of trust in British politics and compared the current leadership to that of convicted fraudster and former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi.

The former Conservative cabinet minister joined a chorus of voices criticising the prime minister and his No 10 team after the damning Sue Gray report laid bare the extent of the lockdown-breaking behaviour at the heart of government.

Mr Stewart – who was defeated by Mr Johnson in the 2019 Tory party leadership race – said: "They won't make basic decisions, they won't cut, for example, VAT on fuel, which is crucial to people’s lives. And the reason they can't make decisions is they are fighting, day by day, these headlines.