Boris Johnson appeared strained as he entered the Home of Commons at noon on Wednesday, hoping {that a} “useless cat” and an apology over Downing Avenue events would dig him out of his newest political gap. The backdrop of sullen Tory faces was an indication that he had a lot work to do.
The primary a part of the prime minister’s escape plan — the tactic of placing the equal of an inanimate feline on the desk to vary the topic — was the rapid activation of his so-called Plan B coronavirus restrictions to curb the unfold of the brand new Omicron variant.
The truth that many Conservative MPs are against recent restrictions in England — particularly Covid-19 vaccine passports — and that Johnson has desperately tried to keep away from them was a sign that the technique was high-risk.
The transfer got here as a shock to ministers, not least as a result of Downing Avenue has repeatedly insisted it might not have sufficient proof concerning the Omicron variant till subsequent week to resolve if new restrictions have been wanted.
“We don’t suppose Plan B is required,” Dominic Raab, deputy prime minister, mentioned on Tuesday. Johnson’s allies mentioned on Sunday they didn’t count on new restrictions till January. Cupboard Workplace papers on choices weren’t prepared.
Rishi Sunak, chancellor, was mentioned by authorities officers to have been taken unexpectedly by Johnson’s newest transfer and pushed again in opposition to some restrictions, in line with Whitehall insiders.
“It was pushed by Quantity 10,” mentioned one. Ultimately, cupboard and Tory parliamentary resistance meant that new restrictions remained on the average finish of the dimensions of choices.
One Conservative MP, William Wragg, informed Johnson within the Commons: “Only a few can be satisfied by this diversionary tactic.”
Johnson denied that cost categorically. “You must act to guard public well being when you’ve gotten clear proof,” he mentioned. However many Tory MPs and officers are sceptical concerning the timing.
That can add to tensions when the Commons is requested to vote on new Covid laws. “He’s going to depend on Labour votes to get it by,” mentioned one Tory MP.
Final month 19 Conservative MPs voted in opposition to new laws on mask-wearing. Whereas some mentioned they’d settle for “steering” to work from home, they’d not again vaccine passports.
Veteran Tory MP Sir Roger Gale mentioned Downing Avenue had squandered the power to name on the goodwill of the general public with any new Covid restrictions. “If that’s undermined by studies of hypocrisy and rule-breaking from these on the high of presidency, that’s harmful when it comes to our public well being technique,” he added.
The second a part of Johnson’s technique — urged upon him by former Tory chief Iain Duncan Smith at a gathering on Wednesday — was to apologise for the upset triggered to the general public by the livid row about Christmas events in Downing Avenue.
Johnson obliged, saying he was “sickened” by a video leaked to ITV Information displaying his aides joking a few occasion in Quantity 10 throughout lockdown in December final yr, however his apology additionally gave the impression to be an try to shift blame to officers.
“I used to be additionally livid to see that clip,” Johnson informed MPs. “I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has triggered up and down the nation, and I apologise for the impression that it offers.”
He had been “repeatedly assured” no Covid guidelines had been damaged however now — belatedly — he had determined to ask cupboard secretary Simon Case to seek out out what occurred. If discovered responsible “there can be disciplinary motion for all these concerned”, he mentioned.
Johnson’s choice to ask Case to research solely the occasion held in Downing Avenue on December 18 final yr, whereas London was underneath stringent Covid restrictions and indoor social gatherings have been banned, left many questioning why the cupboard secretary was not wanting into different such occasions.
One Quantity 10 official who attended the occasion mentioned: “It was big, there will need to have been 40 to 50 folks. It was actually unhealthy. There was cheese and wine ordered in by Quantity 10 workers. There was music.” Downing Avenue mentioned Johnson had been engaged on the night of the occasion.
However the official mentioned they’d additionally been current throughout a leaving occasion in Downing Avenue for former aide Cleo Watson on November 27, by which Johnson had given a speech. At the moment folks from totally different households have been banned from assembly indoors or in non-public gardens.
Neither is Case being requested to look into allegations that events happened in Johnson’s Downing Avenue flat, together with one occasion on November 13, supposedly a celebration to mark the departure from Quantity 10 of the prime minister’s abrasive former chief adviser Dominic Cummings.
The debacle of the previous week has weakened Johnson’s standing throughout the Conservative occasion, which MPs mentioned reached new lows on Wednesday, coming shortly after his mishandling of the Owen Paterson sleaze scandal.
One longstanding Tory mentioned: “One thing has snapped. Belief evaporated after the Paterson saga however now I believe we’re into actual hazard territory. MPs are getting significantly fed up.”
One other Conservative MP mentioned colleagues might begin placing in letters of no confidence in Johnson if extra particulars emerged about events in Quantity 10. “If the prime minister has misled us on what he knew concerning the events and what he attended, then the letters will begin flying in,” added the MP.
Ministers admitted that conversations, for the primary time, have began turning to what the end-game for Johnson would possibly seem like.
Johnson has not but reached a tipping level, the place many MPs consider he has change into a legal responsibility. However they fret concerning the North Shropshire by-election on December 16, the place the Conservatives are combating the Liberal Democrats following Paterson’s resignation.
One longstanding ally of Johnson described the scenario at Westminster as “finely balanced”, including the prime minister was “down a few cat lives in final month” and couldn’t “afford many extra of those errors”.