With the timing of a political cleaning soap opera, the Queen arrived for Prince Philip’s memorial service on the morning the Met Police began handing out fines for Downing Road’s lockdown breaches.
The Westminster Abbey service was a jarring reminder of how the Queen sat alone final 12 months at her husband’s funeral and the way the night time earlier than not one, however two, boozy events have been held in Downing Road.
Junior workers have been despatched out with a rolling suitcase for extra provides.
However timing is every part on this saga.
A conflict, a value of dwelling disaster and a faltering efficiency from Rishi Sunak have given Johnson house to get better.
From hanging on by his fingernails the Prime Minister now appears to be like virtually protected. A hard and fast penalty discover now, supporters say, is like getting a rushing ticket in a time of conflict.
However large hurdles stay for Johnson, whether or not he's fined or not.
If he knowingly misled the Commons, claiming he was “repeatedly assured” that “there was no get together and that no Covid guidelines have been damaged,” the onus is on him to resign.
The Prime Minister has made it clear this won't occur. He doesn’t assume he lied though the opposition say his pants are on hearth.
Then there may be the complete Sue Grey report, certain to blast the double requirements that locked folks away from family members as Downing Road partied prefer it was 1999.
Even then, will there be a vote of confidence?
Douglas Ross famously withdrew and as a part of the therapeutic course of the Prime Minister will get together once more on Tuesday night time at a ‘let’s get collectively’ dinner to which he has invited all Tory MPs.
He’ll must hold a transparent head to face a committee of MPs on Wednesday earlier than the Commons breaks up for Easter.
So, time rolls on whereas Rishi Sunak’s lack of ability to inform a petroleum station card reader from a worth scanner highlighted the shallow different to campaigning Johnson.
As one Tory MP put it: “There isn't a level in a vote of confidence when you don’t have a clue on what to do when you win it.”
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