(Prime) Ministerial choices
An entertaining spectacle at Westminster and 10 Downing Street is also a showcase of decision making
Over his political career, the United Kingdom’s (now acting) prime minister has gained a reputation for eccentricity, but these last few days he has arguably surpassed himself. His apparent disregard for the seriousness of members of his government quitting at an exponential rate not seen since the first wave of COVID-19 was baffling. It is unclear exactly who or what finally persuaded him that the credits were rolling on his premiership, but eventually he decided to concede to “the will of the parliamentary Conservative party”. Beyond all this entertainment, though, it is instructive to look at the decisions that were being considered, made, and postponed. Why did it take the ministers and aides so long to resign, and why did the prime minister keep on ducking calls for him to step down long after it was clear there was ever going to be just one outcome?
A deliberating government
The crisis around Boris Johnson has been festering for many months. In itself, the latest revelation (the PM falsely maintained he was unaware of the history of an MP’s inappropriate behaviour when promoting him) was an unlikely trigger for a single government resignation, let alone…
