Boris Johnson’s political career has been defined as one that defies gravity, with the normal rules not applying to him.
Can the British prime minister beat the odds and survive what would normally prove a politically mortal wound of 148 Conservative colleagues having no confidence in his leadership?
The coming days and weeks will be critical to whether he will cheat political death and recover. On Tuesday, he gathered his Cabinet together to set out how he planned to secure his leadership.
“If anyone can bounce back and show resilience, it’s Boris Johnson,” said his loyal Welsh Secretary, Simon Hart.
The resilience of Mr Johnson’s 20 or so key Cabinet ministers is vital. So far, like Mr Hart, they have remained united in support in the knowledge that their careers are now thoroughly tied to the prime minister’s.
With his Cabinet intact, Mr Johnson could then face down his rebellious MPs and with the passage of time put the Partygate scandal behind him.
On Tuesday morning, in the hangover from the torrid day of the confidence vote, there was a degree of silence among the rebels and critics. Some analysts suggested it was an “omerta”, giving Cabinet ministers space to decide whether senior figures should enter Downing Street to tell Mr Johnson his time was up.
Even then it would not be beyond his ability to stare down the approach. But, having seen him at close quarters going in to vote on Monday night, looking weary and muttering under his breath, it felt that even he was a man approaching his limits.
Those limits will be tested again on Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions when his greatest concern will be from those MPs sitting on benches behind, rather than the Labour opposition in front.
Will a series of Tory MPs stand and publicly demand his resignation? Will it be a dramatic moment for a minister such as Penny Mordaunt to announce her resignation and move to the back benches?
If Mr Johnson survives this week, on June 23 is another poll — two by-elections in Wakefield, and Tiverton and Honiton — which are likely to be heavy defeats for the Tories.
“If we don’t see genuine change reflected in the polls, then the storm clouds will gather again,” warned leading rebel MP Tobias Ellwood.
But Mr Johnson could brazen that out and limp on, waiting for Parliament's summer break, which starts next month.
The Conservative election rules state that a confidence vote cannot take place again for another 12 months, technically keeping Mr Johnson in post until June 2023. But it has been suggested that these rules could be “changed in an afternoon” if the unrest grows.
However, it is the disquiet among the British public that will be likely to count the most. They can take a lot from politicians but blatant hypocrisy, going against their sense of “fair play” is widely regarded as intolerable.
Hence the slump in Mr Johnson’s ratings since it was disclosed that while the rest of the country stayed alone locked in their homes during the pandemic, boozy parties at Downing Street were the norm.
A recent poll showed 59 per cent wanted him out of office, the Conservatives trail Labour by seven points and at the jubilee celebrations on Friday Mr Johnson was booed outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
It might then dawn on those 211 MPs who voted their confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership on Monday that the longer he remains in office, the greater the Conservative brand will be tarnished.
Or it might be that gravity again fails to apply to Boris Johnson, that he defies the doomsayers, thrives and survives.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
More from Aya Iskandarani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
%3Cp%3ECoventry%20City%20v%20Manchester%20United%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Chelsea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Games%20to%20be%20played%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium%20on%20weekend%20of%20April%2020%2F21.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
MATCH INFO
BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
McTominay 44'
Mata 73'
Pogba 80'
SEMI-FINAL
Monterrey 1
Funes Mori (14)
Liverpool 2
Keita (11), Firmino (90 1)
The five pillars of Islam
