Above, The seven dwarfs – in 1937 before they were cancelled by EDI!
Today the political rumour mill (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-14/sunak-s-woes-prompt-ministers-to-question-whether-he-can-hang-on) is grinding a new story out: Tory cabinet ministers plotting to overthrown Mr Sunak and have a new PM that will give them a better chance of more of them holding onto their seats at the soon (by the autumn) to be called general election!
Their problem is the perennial one: none of them can decide who should replace Mr Sunak!
The idea of a leadership contest is out of the question. They only way the Tories could pull it off would be for the “men in grey suits” to inform Mr Sunak that he should “do the decent thing” and hand over to a nominated Tory who will assume the poison chalice Mr Sunak has been relieved of.
There is of course one Tory who would be only too willing to take up the leadership role: The Right Honourable Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Hon FRIBA.
Of course, Mr Johnson is no longer an MP and were he created a Life Peer, there would be a constitutional crisis for the last Prime Minister to sat in the House of Lords was The Most Honourable The Marquess of Salisbury KG, PC, GCVO, FRS, DL, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom & Ireland (25 June 1895 – 11 July 1902).
However: Were the “men in grey suits” to inform Mr Sunak that he hand over to Mr Johnson it would be on the basis that an election would be called and that Mr Sunak would remain Prime Minister until Friday 3rd May 2024 whereupon he would go to Buckingham Palace and offer his resignation to HM King Charles III who would graciously accept it and to call upon Mr Johnson would would be the newly declared Member for Richmond (Yorks) – Mr Sunak announcing that he would no be contesting the seat for the Conservative Party at the election!
What this would mean is that Mr Sunak would continue as PM but would not campaign at all in the general election remaining ensconced in Downing Street awaiting a Tory victory on Thursday 2nd May 2024.
Of course, were it to result in a Labour victory, Mr Sunak would resign and HM would call upon The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer KCB, PC, KC, MP, the Leader of the Opposition and Member for Holborn and St Pancras to become his Prime Minister.
One may well ask: “Why would the Tories go for a 2nd May election? Why not pursue the Micawber strategy (something will turn up)?
The problem with the Micawber strategy is that the May local elections promise to be terrible for thr Tories and this would create a momentum for Labour that would snowball.
The Tories realise that they are in grave danger – not of loosing the election and putting Sir Keir in #10 but of failing to come second and to end up in third place behind the Liberal Democrats. This is because the British system gives a constitutionally significant place to the party that comes second – they are formally known as “His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition” and as such had specific entitlements in Parliament. The top two positions used to be held by the Tories and the Liberals. When Labour replaced the Liberals as #2 the Liberals entered a death spiral from which they have never recovered. The Tories know that should they come in third they are finished as a major party.
The Tories fear that if Labour gain significant momentum the support or reform will increase and many ex Tory councillors may well defect to Reform.
The Tories fear Nigel Farage. They tried to entice him into joining them but he refused.
Although Mr Johnson leaves much to be desired as a Prime Minister; as the Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition he would excel.
Such a strategy would be appreciated by the Royal Household as the intense electioneering would distract the media from the problems they have.