If Johnson wants a sacrificial lamb Raab looks the best choice
After yesterday’s devastating emergency debate on Afghanistan Johnson’s government looks more bruised than ever and he needs to do something to re-assert his fading authority within the party. But in his whole career Johnson has found it difficult to sack people that he has appointed even when this appears necessary.
There’s little doubt that the PM’s authority has taken a beating and he needs to act soon to make sure that it is not his head that is on the chopping block.
He needs a sacrificial lamb and what better choice is there than Dominic Raab the Foreign Secretary? He’s the one, of course, who failed to make a phone call to his opposite number Afghanistan to ensure that Afghan interpreters who worked for the British embassy could be protected. Raab was, of course, on the beach in Crete.
The politically adept Smarkets betting exchange has put a market up this morning that Raab will be out before the end of the month. You can currently get 5.2/1 on this happening.
I’m not sure about the bet. Johnson is so loyal to his team that it is very hard to see him taking action even though he would come out of it politically stronger.