The bad headlines for Boris Johnson began with an attempt to rewrite sleaze rules to protect the backbench MP Owen Paterson, progressed through a series of revelations about Christmas parties, and are now focused on a massive backbench rebellion and questions about the prime minister’s personal authority. With a possible byelection defeat in Paterson’s previously safe seat on the cards this week, it is safe to call this the most difficult period of Boris Johnson’s premiership – and the Conservative press, which has long been loyal to him, is increasingly expressing its unhappiness. Here are extracts from coverage of the prime minister in right-of-centre outlets on Wednesday. Leader column, the Times “There may be no path back for Mr Johnson. His travails took a decisive turn in the fiasco concerning Owen Paterson, whose suspension from parliament Mr Johnson unavailingly sought to block. The notion that rules of propriety in public office do not apply to Mr Johnson and his friends is not believed by public opinion, and has proved disastrous to the government’s reputation.” Leader column, the Daily Telegraph “The new rules passed with opposition support but the scale of the rebellion is a further sign of the prime minister’s waning authority and Tory MPs’ dwindling trust both in his judgment and his intentions once parliament has gone into recess. They have put down a marker that he would be unwise to ignore.” Leader column, the Daily Mail
“The PM endured the indignity of relying on Labour to win the vote – another damaging blow to his fragile authority. And by releasing a blizzard of dubious statistics to support his case that Omicron is such a deadly threat it requires intrusive and drastic action, he is taking us for fools.” Leader column, the Daily Express “Last night the prime minister won his votes on the new regulations being brought in to tackle the Omicron variant of Covid. But Boris Johnson will in the coming days need to reflect on why almost 100 Conservative MPs rebelled against vaccine passes. “The events in the Commons reflect a wider mood that patience is wearing thin … Mr Johnson must understand that much of the country is reaching the limit of tolerance on Covid restrictions in the absence of a development that clearly poses a significant risk.” Daniel Finkelstein, the Times Last night’s votes show that Johnson’s government is now dependent upon Sir Keir Starmer to provide a stable majority for its central policy. How long can such a position endure? How reliable is it? And isn’t Starmer entitled to insist that if his party is sustaining Covid policy, he ought to be consulted on what it is? Madeline Grant, the Daily Telegraph No Tory leader in recent memory has enjoyed such a unique opportunity [as Johnson] to implement vital reform or make conservatism palatable to future generations – and none has squandered it quite so quickly.”