A gathering of 40 people with drinks (even if it is Bring Your Own Bottle) in any dictionary or context constitutes a ‘party.’ British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vehemently dismissed this and implied that it was rather a ‘work event.’ All this right in his backyard at the peak of Covid-19 wave in May 2020 when there were strict restrictions on social gatherings in the UK. Such incidents spurred a rather raucous debate at the British Parliament since December 2021, with demands for his resignation.
The UK was one of the worst affected due to Covid-19. Restrictions, even when lifted, were phased, with conditions such as gatherings with only 2 or only exercise outdoors. When the news of the British leader flouting such norms that they set out was leaked, Boris Johnson’s leadership was questioned. This is not his first scandal as Prime Minister – a large donation from a businessman and failure to declare the cost of refurbishment of his official residence are just a few in a long list of discrepancies. Still, Boris Johnson was elected as the Prime Minister: a man of his word, he did complete the Brexit deals; although not well, he did it!
In the hands of Sue Gray
So, what’s next for Boris? Britain’s parliamentary voting system implies that if 54 MPs within the PM’s party submit letters of no confidence, then the Parliament votes. Just 180 votes are needed to show him the door. While the MPs can do this at any time and it could happen as quickly as over a day, Boris Johnson is urging his MPs to wait for Sue Gray’s investigation report. Nominated by Johnson himself, Sue Gray, a senior civil servant, is second permanent secretary at the Cabinet and is now the ‘Investigator in Chief’ who will prepare an inquiry report on the 16 alleged parties/gatherings at 10 Downing Street. She is known to be fair, straight and rather ruthless.
Who’s next
As the world waits for the report with bated breath, at Number 11, Downing Street resides an Indian origin: 41 year old Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and front-runner for the PM’s post. A Fulbright scholar, Stanford graduate and former employee at Goldman Sachs, he is a vocal pro-Brexiter who supported Johnson’s Prime Ministerial campaign. He is known to have a fierce loyalty to his country and is a Thatcherite at heart. Sunak took over the reins of the British vault just shy of the pandemic in February 2020. The last two years have been nothing short of tumultuous for him. He piloted a 330-billion-pound emergency support to businesses and furlough scheme for employees. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Eat Out to Help Out helped sustain the strained hospitality industry. He is known to have vocally opposed a second lockdown in view of the economic impact it would have on the already fragile state. Aside from these schemes, he is the first Chancellor since 1974 to have increased the corporation tax rate! Despite these tough reforms, he is still ranked the most popular politician following the PM. Sunak lacks holistic experience with his main domain being treasury; but with an able team he has the capacity and confidence to lead Britain to new heights. Whether a nation like Britain would vote for a person of colour as its leader, despite the strong representation from the Indian diaspora, needs to be seen.
Other candidates are Liz Truss, a Conservative Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel, Home Secretary, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab. Liz Truss comes with holistic experience and could be a more seasoned and balanced leader of the country. None other can come close to Rishi or Liz.
Whoever takes over the UK, be it Boris himself or a newly elected representative – the task set out is not the easiest. Inflation rate in the UK reached 5.4 per cent by the end of 2021, the highest in the past 30 years, oil prices are steadily increasing with a potential to raise electricity bills by 50 per cent, the economy has taken a deep downward spiral since Brexit and the pandemic has crippled the NHS. This is a real opportunity for the next leader to redefine and brand the new United Kingdom. The nation must polish its tarnished figure – who does it remains a question mark!
