Politics Explained: Why Boris Johnson may not be doomed

The case for thinking that the prime minister will survive and thrive

Although poll ratings for the government have re-entered negative territory, Johnson himself still enjoys positive support (AP)

Public opinion is turning against the prime minister. Even before the revelation that his chief adviser broke lockdown rules, more people disapproved of the government’s handling of the coronavirus situation than approved, according to Opinium and YouGov.

It is easy to imagine how the public could become more hostile if the UK ends up with one of the worst death tolls in the world, and if the economy fails to recover quickly from the shutdown.

Boris Johnson’s critics accuse him of being so afraid of scrutiny that he hides away, while the Labour opposition, transformed under the leadership of Keir Starmer, has him on the run, having forced him to make a U-turn on the immigration surcharge for NHS workers.