Boris Johnson’s decision to resign as Prime Minister and head of the Conservative Party was not a total surprise to most people. It has been in the cards for a while. The likelihood of his formal resignation has been discussed seriously since 148 Tory MP’s out of 359 voted not to give Johnson a vote of confidence when the Party met in early June. While Johnson survived the vote, the debate and investigations continued concerning his conduct and participation in “party-gate”, the illegal parties held at 10 Downing Street in the midst of the COVID lockdown. Ultimately, Johnson accepted the fines and rebukes that the extensive investigations had produced, and eventually apologized for his behavior and his lying to the people.
This week Johnson faced new revelations concerning the recent conduct of a very close political colleague, Chris Pincher, who was known to have sexually harassed people, most recently since he was elevated by Johnson to a more prominent position. Johnson’s ability to maintain his leadership of the party and the Government vanished within 36 hours. Johnson’s denials now triggered a series of high-level Cabinet Ministers’ resignations. This was followed immediately by a series of additional resignations of other Government officials and even party and Government staff. Johnson’s tenure in office could not be sustained, even by a Prime Minister who had smiled and charmed his way through every crisis he has faced during his three years in office. The Government was demanding he step down as Prime Minister, thereby relinquishing the leadership of his party.
While the precise date for Johnson’s departure is not clear—whether and for how long he will lead a caretaker Government—his demise has occurred because British democracy has worked. Specifically, elected public officials have decided that they were prepared to throw out a leader who could no longer be trusted; regardless of whatever achievements he might have accomplished during his time in office. Boris Johnson needed to be removed as both Prime Minister and thus the leader of the Tory Party.
Unlike the conduct of the Republican Party in the United States, the Members of the “Mother of all Parliaments” forced their leader to leave office in disgrace, whether he admits it or not. Much can be said about Johnson’s accomplishments and leadership through the departure from Brexit to a major electoral victory to his national leadership during the pandemic, to his sterling support of Ukraine. Yet. none of these actions could cover-up Johnson’s arrogance, egotism, and the cavalier nature which he always believed would enable him to win in the eyes of the public.
The Conservative Party has no obvious successor, although there is a group of ambitious Tories anxious to succeed Johnson. The Party has opted to proceed without Johnson as their leader. They do so with sufficient time to repair the disrespect Johnson brought to the Party and Government before the next general election, which does not need to be held until January 24, 2025.
The Conservatives believe that they have time to regroup. They recognized that the public had appeared to be moving away from the Conservatives as witnessed in the results of recent local elections and by-elections. Labour has a long way to go to catch up to the Conservatives. The Torys—regardless of who will be the new Prime Minister—believe they have enough time now to disassociate themselves from Johnson and insure that the next election will not be all about Boris Johnson and his scandals.
Across the pond, Republicans in Washington could learn much from what has transpired in London. The most obvious signal was the fact that responsible governments can still rule in a democracy and Members of Parliament can affirm a commitment to fundamental truths, even while their own leaders continue to lie and fabricate their own reality.
The political systems are indeed different. In Britain it is all about party while legislators in the United States need to answer to constituents. All those in public life must demonstrate integrity. Public leader especially legislators must maintain a commitment to human values which does not tolerate persistent lying and the denial of the truth. It is a very sad statement that the Republican Party and its Members of Congress are unable to stand up and admit the truth. They must reject the lies and fabrications of the Trump Presidency. Republicans must disconnect from the fiction of Donald Trump and, if necessary, be prepared to take their lumps for telling the truth. To date it appears that only Representatives Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger are prepared to do so.
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