Paterson resigns. Johnson is diminished

What are the long-term political implications of the government’s clown show over Owen Paterson? My guess is that voters won’t pay too much attention, but MPs certainly will. And that could matter at least as much.

Start with the public. Do voters feel angry that their Prime Minister doesn’t play by the rules — written and unwritten — of politics and government? There’s a lot to be angry about, and ripping up the rules against cash-for-lobbying certainly justifies rage. And maybe in time, the idea of the PM as leader of a privileged clique who don’t play by the same rules as the rest of us will indeed prove harmful to the Conservatives’ vote. But so far, I don’t see abundant evidence that ‘one rule for them’ is achieving the salience that would be needed to make it a serious electoral issue. Maybe if Labour can succeed in keeping these stories alive — and eye-catching — over a sustained period, the issue will start to hurt.