Strange to say, the greatest threat to the prime minister’s position derives not from “partygate”, sleaze or even his sunken approval ratings, dismal as they all are, but from some rather conventional issues of policy: plan B, net zero and the tax hikes announced in the Budget.
A significant proportion of his backbenchers now regard Boris Johnson as a “socialist”, or possibly something worse, given that he still purports to be some kind of Conservative. Indeed, some say as much without much prompting in the House of Commons and on the airwaves. They make no secret of their disappointment in him, heightened for many of them by the glaringly unfinished business of Brexit. Similar levels of disappointment, if not despair, can be detected in surveys of opinion among Tory party members.
In the great scheme of things, many are rather less concerned about Allegra Stratton, Owen Paterson’s side hustles or who paid for the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat; what horrifies them is tax, borrowing, refugees, jab passports and the “national debate” on mandatory Covid vaccination. They’re not too keen on abolishing domestic gas and oil boilers, either.
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