Tory troubles are a reflection of the crisis facing Britain

One of the quaint superstitions of the moment is a belief that our political dysfunction has a ready solution. The government stumbles from one crisis to another but things will pick up once Liz Truss is gone. Rishi Sunak warned that she would fail and so he is best placed to succeed her. He will calm the markets and lead us back to growth. Tories tell themselves he might even be able to beat Labour next time. 

Other Tories put their faith in Boris Johnson, not least Boris Johnson. His withdrawal will be greeted with relief by MPs but there are costs attached. Whatever mandate this government still has is his. He won the Red Wall. He is said to have delivered Brexit. He grasped the need for the Tories to spend money and be seen as patriotic and anti-woke, albeit only rhetorically. He was the candidate of those on the patrician left who recognised him as one of them and of the national conservatives who convinced themselves he was on their side.