Boris Johnson has withdrawn from the Tory leadership race.
Once his ally Michael Gove surprised everyone by declaring himself a runner, Johnson limped off.
Why – because his plan for Brexit as published in the Telegraph on Monday was rubbished by everyone on the continent.
Turned out that BJ’s big idea was to stay in the EU, in effect.
Berlin, Paris and Brussels were having none of it.
Gove’s entry appears like a backroom deal to get Johnson off the hook – a convenient entry onto the stage, allowing Boris to exit with dignity.
Apparently not though – Gove says its a genuine move driven by despair at BJ’s inability to cope with the post-referendum landscape.
Both men appear weakened.
Boris to the point of pariah status – he rabble-roused for cause he abandoned leaving the country devastated. It would be called terrorism if done by anyone else.
Gove’s own commitment to the top job seems entirely false.
He’s spent years saying he doesn’t want the job, and certainly doesn’t want to be the PM who tells England that any Brexit deal will have to include free movement of people.
Within 24 hours, there were calls for him to step aside, with the papers united on the line that Gove is a traitor.
So it appears the Tory establishment is plotting the drama to end on the denouement of a Theresa May’s entry in to Downing Street.
May isn’t tainted by the false claims of the Leave campaign nor is she identified with Remain.
She can tell the UK that its Brexit deal is crap without appearing responsible for the merde.
One week after his resignation and already people want David Cameron back.
