If only he had been more of a ‘girly swot’ the Prime Minister wouldn’t have had to experience the shudder which must have jolted through whatever passes for the Johnson spine. The words that must be bouncing around his neurones and striking terror through whatever passes for the Johnson soul were chillingly uttered by IDS, ‘he may become a Brexit martyr’. I know this sounds ludicrous, but he may have just felt the first pangs of self doubt. Oh, all right that really is ludicrous.
I suspect that when he looks misty eyed into the mirror every morning he sees a slim, virile, God like figure standing alone on the cliffs of Dover with a baleful glare across the Channel. A voice tells him that only he can save Great Britain from the forces of darkness. That he alone, despite all the odds, spat in the faces of the of the enemies of the people. His people. That no matter what slings and arrows are thrown at him he, through sheer force of personality will prevail. It is his destiny. It is his birthright. Because he is Alexander the Great. Slayer of nations, where Kings and Queens bow down before him, where great leaders tremble at his very name. And they dare to ask him to obey the law? He is the law. Because he is the chosen one.
The poor fellow is totally deluded. He is not the shiny winner that the selectorate chose. He is a four time loser. Impotent. An EU Eunuch. And the only tremble people have at the mention of his name is through hysterical laughter.
The KFC chicken stuff is puerile and won’t work. Corbyn, like every other leader, only wants an election at a time when he can win. And that time isn’t now.
It’s very nearly game over for Johnson. Does he break a promise or break the law? The former would be embarrassing, the latter fatal.
Jacob and his Ergonauts must be getting very worried that their hero for the day is going to have to resign. They are mad enough to insist on a caretaker PM (think Raab or Mogg) who will be Johnson’s body double to beg Brussels for an extension. But no true believer could possibly do that. So the ‘plan’ is to persuade the Saj to do the dirty work and then let the great man back. Javid is not a fool, so forget about it.
Corbyn could make himself a great deal of political capital if he allowed Ken Clarke to head a short term government of national unity with all the party leaders in it. He could spin it as putting country before party. The other Johnson wheeze being mooted is to put Corbyn into No 10 and make him ‘surrender’ to Brussels. Does he really want to be remembered for putting Corbyn into Downing Street.
The truth is nobody knows what to do. The carpet biters are clear that this is all about Johnson and the People versus the establishment. He should disobey the law and risk prison. Insane. But you can say that about what the Tory party has become.
So Monday is a big day. It will be interesting to see what policy as been decided and trailed in the Sundays. If there are conflicting reports he still hasn’t made up his mind. But if he has I wonder if cabinet was consulted.
So will he write three articles. Firstly, should I break the law and destroy the Conservative party? Secondly, should I lie and destroy the Conservative party? Thirdly, should I break my promise and ask for an extension and destroy the Conservative party? By now it would have dawned on him that there is a pattern. Destroy the Conservative party.
If he does resign he will bet that Corbyn won’t be able to form a government in 14 days. He would be right. But a temporary government of national unity to oversee a referendum led by someone the House trusts is now a district possibility. Ken Clarke is the Father of the House. He has no political party. He has the numbers.
And don’t forget that Graham Brady has returned to the helm of the 22 Committee and Jeremy Hunt has been very, very quiet. A lot can happen. Most of it deeply unpleasant for Johnson. His days are numbered