The truth about Boris Johnson's 'betrayal' myth

These are testing times indeed for longstanding members of the ‘Boris Johnson is nothing like Donald Trump’ fraternity. Once again, the British blond bombshell is at the centre of a giant political controversy in lock step with the American one. And once again he seems perfectly happy to make politics all about himself.

As a longtime Brexiteer, I am one of those who will always be grateful to Johnson for the courage, vision and single-mindedness he showed in getting Brexit over the line following its attempted betrayal by Theresa May and hundreds of MPs in the ‘rotten parliament’ of 2017-19.

Boris recognised that British democracy was in very great trouble. He rode to its rescue in the second half of 2019, knowing all the time that Remainer ultras would throw the kitchen sink at him. Which they did.

But really, his convoluted statement and reasoning this evening about why he must stand down as an MP without delay simply does not hang together.

Boris is ducking out while whipping up the maximum possible dose of fury and discontent within the Tory tribe

If he is so convinced that he is the subject of an enormous stitch-up four years down the line by MPs on the Commons privileges committee, which has a Tory majority remember, then why would he not choose to fight it by standing in a forced by-election in his seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip as is his right? After all, a very recent poll showed that he would have an outstanding chance of winning such a contest.