Dishonesty, donor sleaze, backbench rebellion: Johnson’s weekus horribilis

Two new polls put Labour ahead of the Conservatives. YouGov has Labour up four points on last week on 37% with the Tories behind on 33%, down three points. Labour is up one point on 40% and the Tories down two points on 34%, according to Survation. The polling tops off a bad week for Boris Johnson, perhaps his worst in the job so far. The Prime Minister is dogged by accusations of dishonesty over both Downing Street Christmas parties and the flat refurbishment, and has been forced to enter battle with his backbenchers over new Covid restrictions.

The Downing Street refurbishment story resurfaced yesterday when the Electoral Commission released the findings of its investigation into how the works were funded. It found that £52,801.72 of a £67,801.72 donation was not declared, and the regulator has fined the Conservative Party. Most damaging for the Prime Minister, however, is how the reports undermines his version of events. It said Johnson WhatsApped Conservative peer Lord Brownlow in November last year “asking him to authorise further, at that stage unspecified, refurbishment works”. This appears to contradict what the Prime Minister told his own standards adviser Lord Geidt, who was earlier told that Johnson did not know about any payments until February 2021. You can read our write-up here.

Johnson is now facing the possibility of his standards adviser resigning, which would be the second in 13 months. It would turbocharge the allegations that his administration is rife with sleaze. Labour has accused the Prime Minister of lying and called on him to reopen the investigation. “Not only has the Conservative Party broken the law, but its Prime Minister has made a mockery of the standards we expect. If Boris Johnson refuses a fresh investigation, that standard will be lowered significantly – setting the bar woefully low for our country’s public life,” Angela Rayner said. Labour MPs are urging Kathryn Stone, the parliamentary standards commissioner, to investigate. Johnson could even be suspended from the Commons: although this would be politically unprecedented, the commissioner does have the power to recommend the suspension of any MP.

To add to Johnson’s woes, dozens of Tory backbenchers are threatening to abstain or rebel on the vote for ‘plan B’ Covid restrictions following the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier this week. At least 30 have indicated that they will vote against the regulations on masks, home working and NHS Covid passes. With more simply not turning up for the vote, Johnson may have to rely on Labour support to get the measures across the line. Wes Streeting confirmed this morning that the opposition will be backing the new rules.

For the Prime Minister, this is an undignified end to “crime week” – a week that he intended to be focused on announcements around law and order across the country, not his own residence. The absurdity of the situation is not lost on the opposition. Writing in the Metro this morning, Keir Starmer argued: “The Prime Minister started the week dressed in police uniform attempting to persuade the nation that he has crime under control. He is finishing the week with no control at all.”