Is he living on borrowed time, or does Boris Johnson's brand of populism make the British PM scandal-proof? It's certainly not great optics when a Tory MP crosses the aisle to join the Labour opposition benches during Prime Minister's Questions, but that seems to have at least stalled a backbench revolt against Johnson for now. We ask why, and whether he can ride out the storm.
The prime minister's line is to pass the Partygate scandal to a high-ranking civil servant, Sue Gray. Her role is to act as investigator and judge in an internal inquiry over Downing Street revelry that flouted the government's own rules at the height of Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. Will Sue Gray call out what Johnson still brands a work event?
It's not as if the British public didn't know who they were voting for in 2019. Now that he's in power with a solid majority, the question is what's beneath the lovable schoolboy rogue veneer of a prime minister accused not only of misleading the public and the Queen but of running roughshod with advisors and staff over sacred institutions like the House of Commons.
The UK is a monarchy, but it's also an age-old democracy where Westminster has final say. Ever since Brexit was decided with a referendum, the whole world has been wondering about the lasting scars on Britain's unique parliamentary democracy.
Produced by Charles Wente, Sophie Pizzimenti and Léopoldine Iribarren.
