Boris Johnson prepares to fight back. Will it work?

Tory MPs return from their constituencies today to Westminster after canvassing opinion about the ongoing partygate row. The good news for Boris Johnson is that only one of the party’s MP has come out over the weekend to call for him to resign. Tim Loughton – the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham – said he had received extensive messages from constituents and had regretfully concluded that Johnson’s ‘resignation is the only way to bring this whole unfortunate spectacle to an end’. Other MPs report the feedback from their voters over the weekend as ‘bleak’.

However, over in 10 Downing Street, Johnson – currently in isolation – is preparing to fight back. The Prime Minister and his team are optimistic that Johnson will survive the Sue Gray report into alleged parties (largely because the scope of that report is to look into the details of such events, rather than suggest a form of punishment for the Prime Minister).