THERE is not much that Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon have in common but their present vicissitudes have one obvious characteristic — they are excellent news for Labour. Elections are lost by governing parties as well as won by the Opposition, and not just in England. The arrest of the former SNP leader can only damage the standing of the party so we may yet see a return of the dormant beast that is the Scottish Labour Party.
The infighting within the Tories in the wake of the resignation as an MP of Boris Johnson and two colleagues is, similarly, excellent news for Sir Keir Starmer. Johnson is the most colourful figure in contemporary politics and his — probably temporary — departure from the scene means politics will be a good deal less interesting, but the manner of his exit has not been edifying. He does have a point that the chair of the parliamentary committee that condemned him, Harriet Harman, does not appear impartial, given that she expressed her views on his behaviour before proceedings began. And arguably, Sue Gray, his earlier nemesis, seems compromised, given her attempt to join Sir Keir’s team. Yet the charge that he misled the Commons about whether Downing Street broke lockdown rules imposed on the rest of the country is what matters.
