All in all, the allegations can damage his reputation as a winner.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Berlin Boris Johnson was only recently considered the “Teflon Man” of British politics – a man on whom political crises leave no trace. Whether buying hamsters at gas stations, long queues in hospitals overloaded by the corona pandemic, rising energy prices, empty supermarket shelves or violent protests in Northern Ireland – the British prime minister always blamed someone else for the negative headlines in recent weeks. And often he pointed in the direction of Brussels.
Johnson even celebrated the poor result of the climate summit in Glasgow at the weekend as a “game changer” and “a great step forward”, after previously trying to save the world from collapse in James Bond fashion.
Back from the world stage, not only are the old problems catching up with the British Prime Minister in London, the laws of political gravity now seem to be at work too. In two opinion polls over the weekend, Johnson’s Conservative Tories are behind the Labor Party for the first time since January. And of all things, the “Daily Mail”, the heart of the Conservatives, sees the opposition as six points ahead of the prime minister’s ruling party.
The reason for the dramatic change in mood is a bribe affair that seems as contagious as the coronavirus and is spreading just as quickly among the Tories. It all started with an investigation into Tory MP and former Environment Minister Owen Paterson, who allegedly abused his political status to advance business interests.
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In order to prevent his fellow party member from being suspended for several weeks, Johnson wanted to change the ethical rules of parliament in Westminster without further ado, but had to backtrack after massive protests. Yesterday he officially had to collect his plan again.
“We have now arrived on day eleven of the scandal, and the affair sticks to Johnson like a burdock”: The said “Daily Mail” dragged the Tories group leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, into the corruption swamp at the weekend and accused him of Failing to disclose a £ 6 million soft loan from one of his firms.
The first member of Johnson’s cabinet is now in the public pillory, and the nervous backbenchers of the Conservatives are wondering whether their prime minister still has the situation under control. Especially since Johnson himself has to put up with unpleasant questions as to whether he always neatly separated offices and private matters on vacation trips, overpriced renovations of his official apartment and in love life during his time as London mayor.
A new Brexit dispute with the EU as the last ace up your sleeve
Every single accusation may not contain enough political explosive power to be dangerous to the prime minister. All in all, however, the allegations can damage his reputation as a winner and attach the dangerous image of a matted party to the Tories. Labor leader Keir Starmer, who has so far tried in vain to trip Johnson, can hardly believe his luck.
It will be interesting to see what Munchausen tricks Johnson will use this time to pull himself out of the political swamp. So far he has either ignored his critics or, if things got dangerous, withdrew. The turnaround in the corruption affair is an example of this. Only this time that is obviously not enough for a liberation.
In dire need, the 57-year-old Johnson likes to pull Brexit as the last ace up his sleeve. A trade skirmish with the EU over Northern Ireland could help close ranks with the Tories. Johnson cannot be sure of this, however. The economic consequences of a trade conflict would further increase the economic costs of Brexit.
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has just predicted that leaving the EU will hit Britain’s gross domestic product twice as hard as the pandemic, with a minus of four percent in the long term.
So it is quite possible that Johnson’s Brexit ace will no longer stand out among British voters – and that his political bluff will be exposed.
More: The UK and the EU need a fresh start – whatever it is