Parliament: Shocking Scenes

Every political commentator is agreed. None of them have seen anything like the abuse and vitriol of Boris Johnson’s Prime Ministerial performance of yesterday evening. It has polarised parliament, united all elements of the opposition and made any prospect of compromise fade out of sight. The contempt for women and the abusive tone, stoking a fabricated contest between parliament and people, is the most destructive course possible in a time of national controversy and government crisis.

Boris Johnson is revealed as national catastrophe as big, perhaps bigger, than Brexit itself. Almost nothing he says has a foundation in fact nor a relationship with reality. His supporters in his cabinet, which is already beginning to show signs of strain, abet his headlong attack on every body and thing which crosses their path. Judges are wrong, parliament is dead, fears of female MPs at threats of rape and murder are humbug. Nothing like this has been seen before.

But in the end this is Britain. And the British don’t do this stuff. A minority certainly can be roused but not, at least on past form, a majority. The Boris camp believes a majority can be whipped into a frenzy and carry them to victory. They assert times have changed. They certainly have, but in the end the question will be, have they changed that much?