While Dominic Cummings seems determined to continue his personal, and vindictive, vendetta against Boris Johnson, at least some of those who have been screaming for Boris's head may need to be careful what they wish for.
Despite his acknowledged deficiencies, of which there are many, under Prime Minister Johnson the United Kingdom has escaped the clutches of the European Union, to the most part at least, and is undoubtedly in the best position of any European nation when it comes to tackling the COVID-19 epidemic. While others continue to thrash around and impose yet more Draconian measures, England has just about reached the end of restrictions and will soon be followed by Wales and Scotland, while even EU member Ireland is following suit, separated as she is from her fellow European states by ocean and the UK.
The outlook for the United Kingdom looks good on many fronts, even if there are major hurdles to be overcome - piles of debt, rising inflation, soaring immigration, problems in the NHS, social care, schools and universities, logjams in our justice system and more - but many of these are a result of government action, or inaction, over decades and cannot be laid at the door of the current incumbent of 10 Downing Street. In truth, now free of the shackles of the European Union and probably the first major Western economy to emerge from the epidemic, the United Kingdom is in pole position to steal a march on its rivals. If only it were that simple.
Standing in the way of real progress are numerous obstacles, foremost amongst them being the ongoing saga about the Prime Minister's own future. If his detractors win the day and he is ousted, who will replace him ? What policies will then be pursued ? Will Brexit and its benefits be preserved, or will we slide back into the European maw ? Too many questions and too few answers, even long before we get to the little matter of who amongst the potential rivals for the leadership might be able to stir the electorate sufficiently for the Conservatives to win another general election.
Boris Johnson needs to survive if the benefits of his overwhelming success at the polls in 2019 are to have any real chance of being fully realised, and those who are plotting against him need to understand this. Yes, he is flawed, but who is not ? What we need is a leader who will take charge and make high level decisions, others can implement policy. We need genuine controls on immigration, lower, not higher, taxes, less state involvement in all things, the clearing away of ludicrous, entirely subjective crimes and the freeing of police to catch criminals rather than those who commit social offences, true reform of the NHS and social care, a complete rethink about our hopeless education system - I could go on.
Which of the potential successors to Boris Johnson is likely to promote any of these vital policies ? Rishi Sunak - not a chance; Michael Gove - not in a month of Sundays; Liz Truss - who knows ? These are all politicians, pure and simple, with nothing but an eye on the polls and trying to ensure they rise to the top. Boris is different and that is why he should stay as he is the only one who just might make some inroads into at least one or two of the major issues now facing our country.
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