The Tories’ ‘suicidal treachery’ will be their undoing

Editorial: The country needs an effective government that works to make day-to-day life better for its citizens, rather than politicians merely out for personal gain

The actions of his predecessors in Downing Street have only made the job more difficult for Sunak (PA)

Boris Johnson’s intervention over the Northern Ireland protocol was not unexpected, given the former prime minister’s penchant for seeking to protect what he sees as his Downing Street legacy. But a number of senior Conservatives have been forthright about the dire effect they believe it will have on their party.

Sir Alan Duncan has called it “suicidal treachery” that will drive voters towards Labour. He is joined in this view by Tobias Ellwood, who says that such “undermining” of Rishi Sunak will only serve to “scupper” the Conservative Party’s election prospects for the sake of Mr Johnson’s personal political gain. They have a point.

The Independent has made clear that Mr Sunak deserves credit for the progress he has made on the Northern Ireland protocol, which could herald a more productive relationship with the EU. While the UK will never see the return of some of the benefits lost through Brexit, there is an obvious purpose in laying the groundwork – building trust – for easier relations in the future.