The Boris Johnson fallout could have a devastating effect on Sunak’s electoral chances

The PM cannot operate effectively when the skeleton of the old, discredited regime is still rattling around, writes Andrew Grice

Johnson’s latest woes are also bad news for Rishi Sunak (PA)

The new inquiries by two police forces into whether Boris Johnson broke lockdown rules by meeting friends and family is very bad news for Johnson. The diminishing fan club that still dreams he will return to Downing Street will shrink even further. The investigation by the Commons privileges committee into whether he lied to parliament over Partygate, which was due to report shortly, might now be prolonged.

Like allies of Suella Braverman, under fire for allegedly asking her civil servants secure her special treatment after a speeding offence, Johnson is crying foul and playing the victim of a “politically motivated stitch-up”. It’s a very familiar, Trump-like response we get when Tory populists are accused of breaking the rules but who usually give voters the impression they think they should be above them. There are dark warnings Johnson might sue the Cabinet Office for referring to police that his diary disclosed potential further breaches of lockdown rules. I’ll believe that one when legal action happens.

Johnson’s latest woes are also bad news for Rishi Sunak. He is struggling to escape the shadow cast over his government by his predecessor. Even on the backbenches, Johnson sometimes seems to garner as many headlines as the person now in No 10.