The biggest danger to Boris comes from the enemies within

Boris Johnson’s predecessor was destroyed by her inability to meet deadlines. Theresa May extended the Brexit transition period so many times that her party eventually turned against her. Johnson, who was notorious for pushing deadlines when he was a journalist, is now discovering the political problem with missing dates. The Prime Minister may still be flying high in the polls but if he cannot meet the new date for ending restrictions — 19 July — then his own MPs will lose faith in his ability to restore normality.

The whole point of the government’s staggeringly long lockdown timetable, announced back in February, was to set an achievable deadline. The theory was that by 21 June a high vaccination rate would mean there was no question of hospitals being overwhelmed. The roadmap would offer certainty — a final end to intermittent lockdowns. Just last week, the hospitality sector was preparing to operate at full capacity, placing orders and hiring staff.