Boris Johnson learned nothing from Pinchergate
If I were to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister the first thing I would do is scrub Downing Street with the strongest industrial bleach in the world to get rid of the stain and stench of Boris Johnson, to make sure his assault and corrosive behaviour on the ethics and probity of government had been removed.
The ignobility and infamy of appointing Chris Pincher as Deputy Chief Whip despite knowing about allegations about his behaviour might be topped by the appointment of Nadhim Zahawi as Chancellor.
I read the story about Nadhim Zahawi being investigated by HMRC shortly after 6pm last night and my jaw has been on the floor ever since. That revelation wasn’t the thing that shocked me the most but this revelation from The Independent
‘It can also be revealed that Boris Johnson, home secretary Priti Patel and the Cabinet Office were all informed of the investigations.’
So Boris Johnson knew about this and still appointed Zahawi. Politics means perceptions are important, even more than the facts, after all Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion. Given how toxic sleaze is to the Tory Party only an idiot would have made this appointment or someone who hates the Tory Party. The Sunday Times reports that ‘A source who is very close to Johnson said: “He hates the Tory party. He absolutely hates them.’
As for Nadhim Zahawi, lay him in the next Tory leader and PM markets, I suspect tax affairs will be fatal for his chances, and may also have the same impact for Sunak and Javid. The golden rule of Tory leadership contests is to lay the favourite, I’m changing that golden rule to lay Zahawi.
TSE