Today UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation as Conservative party leader. To the dismay of many, he also committed to continuing as Prime Minister until his successor is chosen in autumn. When he finally goes he will leave behind a legacy of incompetence, amorality and lawlessness that has profoundly damaged the UK’s international reputation.
The 24 hours preceding Johnson’s resignation were dominated by Trumpian attempts to cling to power that further disgraced the Prime Minister. Some now fear what harm he’s going to do in the coming months if not forced to step down immediately. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was among many calling for Johnson’s swift removal from Downing Street, proposing a caretaker PM should run day to day affairs until Johnson’s successor is selected.
The end of Johnson’s premiership wasn’t brought about by his countless political failures, corruption and deception of the public but by two disastrous electoral defeats for the Tories and a subsequent scandal when it emerged that Johnson had promoted a sexual predator to high office and asked his cabinet colleagues to lie about it. More than 50 ministers resigned within 36 hours, their letters filled with damning words about Johnson’s character and warm praise for his political achievements, including “getting Brexit done.”
The toppling of Johnson is hence a defeat of the man, not his politics, as the Tory Party and now even Labour have firmly embraced the hard Brexit that is Johnson’s legacy, with both parties rejecting the prospect of ever rejoining the EU or ever softening Brexit to return to the single market and free movement. The Scottish government alone is still standing up for the many who rejected Brexit, unequivocally stressing that it wants Scotland to rejoin the EU upon winning independence.
However, the path to holding an independence referendum in Scotland is by no means easier after Johnson’s departure than before. Not a single Westminster politician acknowledges Scotland’s right to hold another independence referendum. On the same day when Johnson argued that the 43.6% of votes he received in 2019 entitled him to stay in office even without parliamentary support, he sent a letter to Scotland’s First Minister rejecting the section 30 request of the Scottish government to hold a new independence referendum as requested by more than 50% of the Scottish electorate. This undemocratic rejection highlights not just the hypocrisy of the departing Prime Minister but also the dysfunctionality of the Westminster system, which, among many other shortcomings, doesn’t have mechanisms in place to protect the rights of Scottish voters and doesn’t give the Scottish government the rights to rule on constitutional matters.
Johnson had virtually no support in Scotland. Speaking on Times Radio yesterday, Scottish Conservative Adam Tomkins described the situation for Tories in Scotland as “desperate” and mourned the damage inflicted on the Union by Boris Johnson. However his take overlooks that the real problem is Brexit, which had boosted support for independence already under Theresa May’s leadership. While a less repugnant Tory leader may incite less outrage in Scotland, the democratic injustice and negative consequences of Brexit are felt each and every day and demand to be redressed.
Brexit and the Westminster system that produced it must not be Scotland’s destiny. As Tory MPs will convene to select yet another government which Scotland didn’t vote for, and which won’t respect Scotland’s democratic will, we must insist that the Scottish people have their rightful choice to decide their own future. European support and solidarity are key to this endeavour.
That’s why we will do all we can to make sure more and more Europeans stand by Scotland’s right to choose its own future. Please support us if you’re in a position to do so. In addition to grants we were awarded from the Scottish Independence Foundation and the Network for Social Change, we have so far raised just over £3000 in our fundraiser over the past two weeks and would like to reach £5000 by the end of the month. We count on you to help us build the international pressure which alone can secure Scotland’s right for self-determination.
But he hast resigned though has he, just voiced his intention to go. Hopefully he won’t renegade this time. Also Johnson did not receive 43.5% of the votes, his party did. And now a good proportion of that party has rejected him. Thems the breaks and he’s so deserving
Yes he hasn’t resigned to the dismay of all of us. And yes, he claims 43,5% voted for him, but in reality they voted for his party. The Westminster system is technically a parliamentary one but in practise is conceived and treated like a presidential one, with dire consequences for democracy