Is the game over or will Boris Johnson, like a greased pig, manage to escape the political slaughter again? The British press is almost unanimous: there is not much left for a long-overdue change at 10 Downing Street.
The resignation of two key ministers has plunged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson into what is perhaps the biggest crisis of his tenure. Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Minister Sajid Javid resigned on Tuesday evening in protest at Johnson’s leadership. They drew the consequences of a series of scandals within the government and the conservative Tory party. The opposition immediately called for new elections. And in the British press, too, Johnson takes a beating:
The venerable Times wrote under the headline “Johnson on the brink” that the “apparently coordinated” resignations of Ministers Sunak and Javid could spell the “death blow for the prime minister” who remains clinging to office. “Every day he stays in office increases the chaos.” There is no realistic chance that Johnson will regain his authority. “In the interests of the country, he should go.”
Johnson’s former employer “The Daily Telegraph” wrote that the prime minister was only “hanging by a thin thread”. Johnson is struggling to support his cabinet after the wave of resignations. But the resignations have “torn a hole in the heart of the cabinet that will be impossible to mend.” He could no longer dismiss the “criticism as oppositional whining or the views of well-known opponents”.
The “Daily Mirror” headlined the “Endgame for Boris” in huge letters: “Finally.” After years of supporting the “toxic Prime Minister”, Sunak and Javid have now drawn their knives.
The “Sun” shows a photo of Johnson from behind and headlines: “Last chance saloon”. On this “hell day” Johnson was “stabbed”. The tabloid also sees the politician “on the brink”.
The “Daily Mail” rhetorically questions the fact that even “Boris, the fat little pig” will still be able to free himself from this situation – alluding to the politician’s amazing resilience to crises.
“The Guardian” describes Tuesday as a day of “dramatic departures” and sees Johnson “on the brink”. The paper writes: “Britain deserves better than a Prime Minister who has become a laughing stock.” The Prime Minister must be confronted with the truth: “His time is up.”
The Scottish Daily Record openly counts Johnson’s government, writing, “The whole rotten bunch must go,” garnished with “tick tock…tick tock…tick tock” – the ticking of the PM’s clock ticking down. .
The only contrast is the “Daily Express”, which writes about Johnson’s “battle for survival”: The “liberated” and “wounded” prime minister continues to fight, promises changes after the “cabinet coup” and is rallying his troops.
This Wednesday could already show how things will continue for Johnson, he has a tough day ahead of him: he first has to face the weekly question and answer session in the House of Commons. Then there is a questioning by the chairmen of the most important parliamentary committees, which also include important internal party critics of the prime minister.
