The British Prime Minister’s home is a sombre building on the outside but its occupants are not inclined to be gloomy even when there is no particular cause for celebration, such as a strict lockdown imposing no socialising and no going out
While law-abiding Britons adhered to strict lockdown rules and could not visit their relatives on pain of heavy fines, the clinking of glasses rang in the Downing Street building.
From what has leaked to the press, it is clear that British government officials did not miss an opportunity to hum. At least twice they gathered in the garden of the prime minister’s residence in May 2020. “Join us from 6pm and bring booze!” sent out invitations to government staff by Johnson’s closest aide Martin Reynolds. A whole series of parties took place there on Christmas Eve, when the country was once again plunged into a deep quarantine by Johnson. On December 17, for example, officials gave a raucous farewell to Kate Josephs, who headed the cabinet’s anti-COVID-19 working group.
Tabloid The Mirror reports that Johnson’s subordinates regularly gathered for “wine Fridays” during the lockdown. It’s like Pushkin in A Feast in the Time of the Plague:
As from the prankster Winter,
“We’ll lock ourselves away from the pestilence, too!
Let’s light fires and pour glasses,
Let’s drown our mindsAnd with a feast and a ball,
And celebrate the reign of the Pestilence.
Even during the days of national mourning, which were declared due to the death of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth the Second, the party rejoiced:
“The coffin containing the prince’s body was placed in the chapel of Windsor Castle overnight. The next day the queen, face covered by a protective mask, was to bid farewell to her husband, with whom they had lived for 73 years. She sat alone, observing the rules of social distance. The atmosphere in Downing Street that Friday evening was very different. Councillors and officials gathered after work for two unrelated parties to see off two colleagues”, – The Telegraph of London describes the event.
Johnson’s former press chief, James Slack, and one of his personal photographers were seen off that day. The send-off dragged on well past midnight. The two companies eventually merged. The dancing began. According to eyewitnesses, they had to send a “messenger” to the nearest shop to the residence. That would be all right, but this unbridled cheerfulness of the apparatchiks has thoroughly undermined the patience of British voters. They find it hard to understand why it is those who make the rules that break them. At the time, government instruction strictly forbade mere mortals to assemble indoors.
“The party is over!” – Opposition leader Keir Starmer said gloatingly to Johnson’s face and demanded that the prime minister resign. Opinion polls show: 63 per cent of Britons think Johnson should go. The prime minister has had to apologise twice: to the queen in writing and verbally to parliament for the spring party in 2020. Johnson admitted that he failed to keep an eye on subordinates who were drinking in his courtyard. Of course, he was there himself, but not for long, and generally considered it a work event.
The absurdity of Johnson’s own statements does not embarrass him at all. He has a track record of making excuses and inventing all sorts of nonsense. His main political reserve is his majority in parliament and the lack of a real candidate willing to replace him today. There are many in the ruling Conservative party who believe that Johnson, who delivered a phenomenal election victory in 2019, “will show himself yet”. A vote of no confidence requires 54 Conservative MPs to submit a request to intra-party committee 1922, which could trigger a vote for his resignation. Despite the open statements against Johnson by a number of fellow party members, the necessary number of rebels has not yet been found. And even if there are, oddly enough, they can only strengthen the position of the current Prime Minister: in the event of a majority vote against his resignation, he receives “immunity” – for a year, fellow party members have no right to overthrow him.
The closest test of Johnson’s popularity within his own party will be the local elections in England, Wales and Scotland on 5 May. Most influential Conservatives are now inclined to believe that it would be an inexcusable mistake to change leaders before that date. In addition, Johnson’s inner circle is already preparing a rescue package. The first step is obvious and taken in the direction of sobriety – government staff are to be formally banned from drinking on the job.
The Sunday Times reports that Downing Street is to add a handful of handouts to a population plagued by double standards. Among other things they are going to lift the remaining restrictions linked to COVID-19 and not raise the annual compulsory TV licence fee for the BBC, which is set to reach £159 in 2022. Failure to pay this tax on the maintenance of the “people’s” television corporation in Britain is considered a criminal offence.
On the whole, the Prime Minister’s salvation boils down to the usual search for troublemakers within the machinery of government. Susan Grey, a little-known civil servant, is appointed to be the arbiter of doom. The woman is to present a report on the government’s parties, and it is not yet known whether it will be published in full or not. Funny how Sue Gray’s candidacy has appeared on the horizon after her previous appointee, her boss Simon Keyes, was dismissed from the mission because he himself was heavily involved in collective workplace partying.
The British press aren’t even trying to guess which heads will eventually roll out the doorstep of Downing Street, the important thing is that one remains inside that mansion for now – the one with the memorable signature “straw” haircut. For how long? No one has an answer to that question right now. For Johnson, crises have long been in his element, but his political buoyancy cannot be infinite.
Alexander Khabarov