Following Boris Johnson’s resignation as an MP, he will “work out how much damage you can do to the Conservative Party”.
That’s according to The Rest is Politics host Alistair Campbell, who said Mr Johnson will spend some time “licking his wounds” following his resignation.
The former Prime Minister resigned in protest of investigations and reports assessing whether he misled the British parliament with his statements claiming all COVID-19 rules and guidance were followed by Downing Street.
Mr Campbell told The Anton Savage Show that it is likely only Mr Johnson and the investigation committee have seen the report – but it was enough to push him to resignation.
“He's obviously seen [the report] and decided that they've absolutely decided he’s a liar, he lied to Parliament, he misled Parliament,” he said.
“He's basically doing a runner and he's now going to go away and lick his wounds and try and work out how much damage you can do to the Conservative Party.
“He's done fundamental damage to our country, to our policies, to standards in public life... and now he’s going to do the same to them.”
'He doesn't know when he's lying'
Mr Campbell, formerly a Labour Communications Director, said he does not normally agree with Dominic Cummings – except in his comments on Mr Johnson’s resignation.
“Cummings was right when he said that Johnson lies so much, he doesn't know when he's lying and when he's telling the truth.”
Mr Johnson is “attempting to pin all of this on [Labour MP] Harriet Harman” as chair of the committee investigating him, even though the committee is majority Conservative Party members.
“Bernard Jenkin is on the committee and has been an ally [of Mr Johnson],” Mr Campbell said. “[But Johnson’s saying] it’s just a political hit job on somebody they don’t like.”
'He doesn't care about public service'
Mr Johnson obviously “won’t be happy” with recent events, Mr Campbell observed, but he will likely stay around British politics.
“He has spent his whole life since he was a kid getting into scraps and being told by everybody that you won't get out of them and then getting out,” he said. “And that’s what he exists to do.
“He doesn’t care about public service... he didn’t do Brexit because he believed in it. He did it because he thought it would help him become Prime Minister and indeed it did.”
