Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to resign from his parliamentary seat has compounded the woes of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who finds himself embroiled in yet another scandal. Sunak has been accused of approving an honours list put up by Johnson that allegedly contains several names of political supporters and cronies, particularly those involved in the attempted cover-up of Covid-era partying that led to Johnson’s downfall.
Johnson’s resignation was triggered by an investigation into whether he had lied to Parliament, which could have resulted in his suspension for more than 10 days and may have forced him to seek a fresh mandate from his constituents. In his resignation letter, Johnson called the investigation a witch hunt and accused members of the Committee of Privileges of ignoring the truth. Some are also accusing Johnson of acting with entitlement and cutting corners, which contributed to his downfall.
The honours and peerages recommended on Johnson’s list included his private secretary, chief of staff, communications chief, and a deejay said to be close to him. Sunak has been caught in the line of fire due to his decision to challenge a call by the Covid inquiry to supply Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages, which Johnson had already promised to provide.
The controversies surrounding the party and the resignation of Johnson have led to calls for a fresh general election by opposition parties. Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, believes that it is time to put Britain out of the misery of being ruled by the Conservatives. These calls are expected to increase the pressure on Sunak as he tries to administer the country amidst various controversies.
Overall, the resignation of Boris Johnson and the ensuing scandals have brought more difficulties for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with opposition parties calling for fresh general elections. As the controversies continue, it remains to be seen how Sunak will overcome the challenges facing him.
