Rough waters ahead for Johnson and Sunak as parliament returns to ‘perfect storm’ of political problems

Broken promises, tax hikes, benefit cuts and Brexit rows are in store, says Andrew Woodcock

A quartet of potentially seismic deadlines approaches at the end of the month (AP)

Having navigated the perilous seas of Brexit and Covid and emerged with the ship of government battered and bedraggled but still intact, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak might be forgiven for feeling they are entitled to some calmer waters as parliament returns on Monday.

But if ever a period in politics deserved the description “perfect storm”, the coming weeks may be that time.

Within days of the return to Westminster, the prime minister and chancellor are set to tear up two central promises from their 2019 manifesto, in a move that could see charges of betrayal pursue them for the remainder of their time in office.