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With his usual aplomb, Boris Johnson has brought the curtain down on the latest stage of his political career.
The most compelling Conservative politician of his generation took everyone by surprise – critics and allies alike – by resigning his Commons seat.
His actions command attention in a way that others can only dream about.
In the pantheon of Prime Ministers, Boris ranks with Chatham, Palmerston and Thatcher, and is only really outgunned by Walpole because of longevity or Pitt and Churchill because of war.
Sir Jacob Rees Mogg: Boris’ ‘dramatic move – and his own hint that he will seek another Parliamentary berth – puts him in pole position to return as Conservative leader if a vacancy should arise.’
Boris Johnson speaks during his first cabinet meeting since the general election, inside 10 Downing Street in London, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019
His extraordinary achievements in his brief spell as Prime Minister include campaigning for a successful Brexit vote and then getting it done.
In his brave support for Ukraine, Boris has also reawakened the West to its global responsibilities.
Even Boris’s leadership during Covid was essential as we now know that the fanatics wanted us even more firmly locked down.
However, his charisma and appeal have always been galling to his political opponents, both within the Conservative Party and outside it.
The dullards of the Privileges Committee, as the Lilliputians with Gulliver, tried to tie him down but failed.
In the face of a clearly partisan, biased report by a committee which Boris himself has called a ‘kangaroo court’, he has done the right thing by pre-empting it and rendering it null and void.
This, though, is most definitely not the end of Boris in the politics of our nation. In fact, his dramatic move – and his own hint that he will seek another Parliamentary berth – puts him in pole position to return as Conservative leader if a vacancy should arise.
On that note, I would most strongly warn Conservative Party managers against any attempt to block Boris if he seeks the party nomination in another seat.
Any attempt to do so would shatter our fragile party unity and plunge the Conservatives into civil war.
I am not, unlike some of my fellow Boris admirers, resigning my Commons seat. I can understand their anger at the former Prime Minister’s treatment.
For my part, I will fight my North- East Somerset seat at the next Election and campaign for a Conservative victory nationally.
I should, of course, declare that in Boris’s long-delayed resignation honours list published on Friday, I was given a knighthood. His recognition of my work with him in government is typical of his generosity. However, my distaste at his treatment by the Privileges Committee was just as great before I received a gong.
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This committee never had any credibility as an impartial tribunal.
Its full-time chairman, Sir Chris Bryant, had to stand aside because of his personal criticisms of Boris, only to be replaced by Harriet Harman, who had herself already condemned Boris on Twitter.
In parliamentary committees, the role of the chairman is absolutely crucial.
He or she writes the draft report, appoints the lawyers and chairs the meetings, and so directs the conversation.
Unfortunately, the Tory members of the committee forgot this, ignored the politicking of the chairman and naively went along with her leadership.
Foolishly, the Privileges Committee thought that Boris would go along with this quietly and be as guileless as they were.
Instead, he acted decisively to nullify the report which will now gather dust as a document for the next century’s antiquarians to ponder over.
As for Boris, he could easily get back into Parliament at the next Election. One poll even suggests he would win in a by-election in his former Uxbridge and Ruislip seat.
He remains extremely popular with the party’s grassroots and in any constituency selection contest, he would be almost impossible to beat.
In a strange way, the Privileges Committee may have done him a favour as he can now move to a safer seat without the dishonour of resorting to the so-called ‘chicken run’.
As I say, all this puts him back in pole position for a future leadership contest.
Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine. Picture date: Saturday April 9, 2022
Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, to face PMQs
When people backed Boris in 2019, it was because of his charisma and electoral appeal – both of which remain.
They gave him a five-year mandate – he has served only three.
Furthermore, the succession to him has only been moderately successful which leaves a potential future opening for the job.
The master of the unexpected may yet have another scene to play.
