Mass resignations. Backbenchers demanding blood. Frontbenchers distancing themselves. It’s all gone a bit JG Ballard over at No. 10 as Boris Johnson seeks to prevent his premiership being scuppered by partygate. Fortunately though, the much-maligned Whips’ Office has come up with a cunning plan: a co-ordinated MP Twitter storm, eulogising the surprise resignation of five No. 10 aides as part of a long-term Johnsonian plan. Brilliant!
For while the resignations of Jack Doyle, Martin Reynolds and Dan Rosenfield were long-expected, those of Munira Mirza and Elena Narozanski were not and can hardly be construed as such. Mirza in particular had been by Johnson’s side for 14 years and submitted a damning resignation letter which hardly suggested going quietly into the night. Still, that didn’t stop Boris backers on the Tory WhatsApp groups pushing a tweet by uber-loyalist Stuart Anderson as an example of what they should be posting, to give the impression of a groundswell of support.
Undaunted by the resignations of both the PM’s head of comms and policy, Anderson dutifully claimed last night: ‘On Monday @BorisJohnson promised MPs change.
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