About a month ago, I made a bet with a friend that Boris Johnson will lose his job as Prime Minister within the next year. We also made another bet that I will win if Keir Starmer is still leader of the Labor Party within a year, and he will win if Starmer is forced out before then.
I always thought the Starmer part of this bet was safer for me, than the Johnson part. However, it looks like the Tory Party has decided to help me out. Johnson has been hit by a tidal wave of resignations from his government, including by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak (No.2 person in the government). Now, even his new chancellor (presumably chosen for his loyalty!) is among those calling on Johnson to resign.
If I read things correctly, there is now an anti-Johnson majority among Tory members of the parliament. Johnson survived a no-confidence vote in the party a few weeks ago, which under current rules makes him secure from another such vote for a year. But the 1922 Committee (which represents Tory backbenchers) is likely to change the rules, as soon as next week.
The cause of Johnson's demise (if it happens) is the series of scandals surrounding him and his government. But, perhaps even more important, is that he's become extremely unpopular, and his party sees him as a political liability. They just got clobbered in two by-elections for example.
Some have analogized the Tory resigners to rats fleeing a sinking ship. But in this case, the rats are actually trying to overthrow the captain! And they seem likely to succeed.
I myself would not be sorry to see Bojo go, though, my reasons are not primarily about scandals.
