What will Boris Johnson do now?

Published

2 years ago

June 10, 2023

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It reads like a declaration of war – but in reality, Friday’s resignation statement matters because Boris Johnson is throwing in the towel on his political career.

Yes, there are hints of a third political comeback in his kinetic resignation statement.

“Never write him off,” say the pundits in the cheap seats.

Yes, there will be MPs bemoaning his departure if the Tories underwhelm at the next general election and calling for him to return. But he will not be there.

Johnson had a choice this week – and he could have chosen to remain.

That would have meant to stand and fight the verdict of the privileges committee, with all the opprobrium that he feels is unfairly heaped upon him.

Politics live: Boris Johnson quits

Then he would have had to watch as Tory MPs were asked to decide whether to back him.

Yes, some would. But despite the vocal minority of supporters, my conversations suggest that the raw numbers prepared to side with Boris Johnson against a Tory-dominated committee accusing him of deliberately misleading the Commons in pitiless detail may not have gone well for the former PM.

In the event he lost the vote and faced 10 or more days of suspension, he would also face the prospect of a by-election in his Uxbridge constituency.

Its 7,210 majority is well within the margin that could be swept away, which would be a decisively mortifying end to his political career.

Even if he won that vote, what would it be for?

There is no conceivable path to him becoming leader again.

He would continue as he has since being slung out as PM – the ghost at the Tory feast, undermining Sunak and, should the Tories lose the next election, his successors.

Nobody has the ability to suck the oxygen out of the room like Johnson, with the media and a slice of the Conservative Party still hanging off his every word as if it mattered – that will not help current or future leadership contests.

So instead, Johnson opted to leave. It was the bold choice, but one in his self-interest.

This gives him a fighting chance of an exit on his own terms – taking aim at enemies inside and out of the Conservative party and to draft his own first version of history – all with the timing of his choosing and the spotlight firmly on what he wants people to see.

It frees him to continue with massive earnings outside Westminster – now without the burden of declaring it in the Register of Members Interests.

And he will continue to comment on politics – perhaps he might return to a column in The Daily Telegraph?

Perhaps he might help buy The Daily Telegraph?

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All with the small but vocal hardline supporters suggesting his ousting the reason for the likely electoral difficulties faced by his successor.

There was no sign on Friday night that his departure had triggered a Tory civil war – allies like Priti Patel and Simon Clarke pensive but restrained.

No sign of more by-elections beyond the two already known.

Now he can concentrate on honing his legacy – yes the 2019 election, Brexit, vaccine and leading the world on Ukraine, but also upending the way politics works in this country. His method was unlikely to unite, but will never be forgotten.

He will never shun the limelight, his momentous decision was about making sure it shows his best side. That’s why, once more, on Friday he voted to leave: to preserve the myth, and not put it to test against reality.

UK

GPs can prescribe weight loss jabs on the NHS from today – but strict eligibility criteria in place

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2025

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GPs can prescribe weight loss jabs on the NHS from today - but strict eligibility criteria in place

GPs will be able to prescribe weight loss jabs on the NHS from today.

About 220,000 people with the “greatest need” are set to receive Mounjaro – with strict criteria for the first year of the rollout.

Initially, only those with a body mass index of over 40 who have at least four other health problems linked to obesity will be eligible.

Some doctors have raised concerns about the additional workload this new programme will bring, while pharmacists fear it could lead to supply shortages.

While an estimated 1.5 million people are now taking weight loss drugs across the UK, they could previously only be accessed through specialist services or private prescriptions.

Dr Claire Fuller from NHS England said: “We urgently need to address rising levels of obesity and prioritise support for those who are experiencing severe ill health – and greater access to weight loss drugs will make a significant difference to the lives of those people.”

She added: “While not everyone will be eligible for weight loss drugs, it’s important that anyone who is worried about the impact of their weight on their health discusses the range of NHS support available with their healthcare professional.”

The chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs welcomed NHS England’s decision to pursue a phased rollout, and said current workloads must be factored in to ensure the jabs can be prescribed safely.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne went on to say: “While weight loss medications have a lot of potential benefits for patients who are struggling to lose weight and who meet all the clinical criteria for a prescription, they mustn’t be seen as a ‘silver bullet’ to aid weight loss.

“We also need to see a focus on prevention, stopping people becoming overweight in the first place so they don’t require a medical intervention later.”

Her remarks were echoed by the National Pharmacy Association’s chairman Olivier Picard, who says “prescribing these medications alone misses the point”.

He argued that they need to be part of a comprehensive strategy that includes lifestyle coaching, exercise and nutritional guidance – but many GPs currently “lack the bandwidth” to provide this support.

“As a result, we could end up in a situation where patients are prescribed the medication, lose weight, and then experience rebound weight gain once the course ends – simply because the foundational lifestyle changes weren’t addressed,” Mr Picard added.

Estimates suggest about 29% of the adult population is obese.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting says the government “is determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay”.

UK

Met Police chief ‘frustrated’ at planned protest to support Palestine Action – as government moves to ban the group

Published

5 hours ago

June 23, 2025

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Met Police chief 'frustrated' at planned protest to support Palestine Action - as government moves to ban the group

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says he is “shocked and frustrated” at a planned protest in support of Palestine Action.

The demonstration, due to take place in Westminster later, comes as the government moves to ban the group under anti-terror laws.

Activists from Palestine Action hit the headlines last week after targeting RAF Brize Norton and damaging two military aircraft in a significant security breach.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will update MPs on the move to proscribe the organisation, which would make it a criminal offence to belong to or support it.

Sir Mark said that – until this happens – the force has “no power in law” to prevent the protest from taking place, but lawbreakers will be “dealt with robustly”.

He added: “This is an organised extremist criminal group, whose proscription as terrorists is being actively considered.

“Members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and last week claimed responsibility for breaking into an airbase and damaging aircraft.

“Multiple members of the group are awaiting trial accused of serious offences.”

He added that – while the right to protest is essential – “actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as a legitimate protest”.

Over the weekend, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he could not rule out the possibility of a foreign power being behind Palestine Action.

Any move to proscribe the group must be debated and approved by MPs and peers.

Speaking to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, former justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer suggested that vandalising aircraft would not solely provide legal justification for such a move.

Lord Falconer said: “I am not aware of what Palestine Action has done beyond the painting of things on the planes in Brize Norton, they may have done other things I didn’t know.

“But generally, that sort of demonstration wouldn’t justify proscription so there must be something else that I don’t know about.”

Palestine Action has staged a series of protests in recent months – spraying the offices of Allianz Insurance in London, and vandalising Donald Trump’s golf course in Ayrshire.

UK

‘Stability in Middle East is priority,’ says Starmer – as world reacts to strikes

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2025

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'Stability in Middle East is priority,' says Starmer - as world reacts to strikes

Sir Keir Starmer has said stability in the Middle East is “a priority” following US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the world has reacted to the attack.

The prime minister also called on Iran to “return to the negotiating table” to “reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis”.

Follow latest: Iran considering ‘all options’ after US strikes

In a statement, Sir Keir said: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security.

“Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.

“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority.

“We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”

The UK was not involved in the strikes but was informed about them in advance by the US, Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

Sir Keir and Foreign Secretary David Lammy had been pushing for a diplomatic solution. On Thursday, the prime minister warned of a “real risk of escalation” in the conflict.

The US struck three sites in Iran early on Sunday morning, with Donald Trump boasting the country’s key nuclear sites were “completely and fully obliterated” in an address to the nation from the White House and warned there could be further strikes if Iran retaliates.

Netanyahu praises Trump

Israel‘s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Mr Trump for the strikes, saying: “Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history…

“History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons.”

UN secretary-general ‘gravely alarmed’ by US attack

But UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed by the use of force” by the US against Iran.

“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged all sides to step back and return to the negotiating table. “Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,” she said in a post on X.

“I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,” she said, adding that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow.

How the world reacted to the strikes

Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on X: “We strongly condemn the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which constitutes a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

“The aggression seriously violates the UN Charter and international law and plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences.”

Venezuela’s foreign minister Yvan Gil said his country’s government “condemns US military aggression” and “demands an immediate cessation of hostilities”.

In a statement, an Australian government spokesperson said Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme “has been a threat to international peace and security”.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it is “crucial that there be a quick de-escalation of the conflict”.

Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said after the attack that his country’s government hopes “a de-escalation can begin and Iran can sit down at the negotiating table”.

The US attack came after more than a week of strikes by Israel, which have significantly degraded Iran’s air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities.

Israel’s strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those killed, 365 were civilians and 215 were security force personnel.