In an interview dated 2015, before the general elections, Boris Johnson, one of contenders for the job of UK's PM famously said, “The chance that I will become prime minister is about the same as the chance that you will find Elvis on Mars, or that I will reincarnate as an olive." And yet, in the current race between Jeremy Hunt and Johnson, Johnson, with his affinity towards Churchill seems to be the more likely candidate, who would be the next resident of No.10 Downing Street. If he wins, Johnson, who has been pro a hard Brexit, will leave many MPs disappointed. At the same time, he is likely to appoint strong, apt men and women to key positions— Sajid Javid as chancellor, Amber Rudd as foreign secretary and Iain Duncan Smith to cabinet office, to name a few. But surely, as leader of the country, he is likely to face a few thorns in the Parliament. Here are a few challenges, Johnson will be expected to rise up to.
Boris Johnson along with being elected PM, will also become leader of the Conservative Party and with this, he will inherit a party that is deeply divided over the Brexit issue. The very issue that spelt the downfall of May, could pose a serious challenge to Johnson. Especially, since the final exit date is set at October 31 and Brussels does not seem keen on another negotiation.
Foreign Minister Alan Ducan quit, apprehending that Johnson, a pro no-deal Brexit leader would become the next PM. This, could very well trigger more MPs to quit. As is, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Justice Secretary David Gauke have announced that they will quit if Johnson becomes PM.
Former prime minister Tony Blair however feels, Johnson is no fool “I don’t believe he will ever do no-deal without an endorsement either from parliament or the people, either in a general election or a referendum. And I think a referendum is more likely than a general election,” Blair said in an interview.
The Brexit issue
Nigel Farage, head of the Brexit Party has said in an earlier interview that Johnson could easily be the next PM. But, he is sceptical of Brexit taking place as scheduled on October 31. Boris Johnson had recently said that he will not consider a deal with the Brexit Party in case the Parliament failed to back a no-deal Brexit and to this, Farage said that he is ready to punch out Johnson and that someone should hold his jacket in the meantime. Beef with Farage could land Johnson in hot water as Farage's Brexit party won 29 out of 73 seats in the EU parliament.
Johnson in all likeliness, will be able effect only some cosmetic changes to May's withdrawal agreement. Without solving the Brexit issue, Johnson will not be able to move on to any domestic issues. If Johnson is not careful about his way of executing Brexit, he could quickly follow May out of Westminster.
What Johnson would do, to ensure a majority is what could work in his favour or against him. Will he close down Parliament temporarily to get round the howls of protest from the green benches? Will he call for snap elections? After all, if a standstill is created by sending MPs home, it would be fair enough, to accept the oversight of the European Courts for a while.
Iran and party unity
Iran will be another challenge Johnson will have to face. With layers to navigate such as US President Trump's hawkish stance against Iran, Iran on the verge of being a nuclear state and Iran recently capturing a British tanker, Johnson should make sure, he does not begin his stride as Prime Minister with war.
Boris Johnson as PM will also have the task of replacing Olly Robbins, the civil servant who led EU negotiations while Theresa May was PM. He will need to understand a candidate's intentions and the kind of freedom the post offers since previously both Hunt and Johnson have not agreed to deals by Robbins. If he is set on going for a no-deal Brexit, he will need to help businesses, especially smaller ones to find their footing once again. He will need to guide them through the changes.
Members of the Conservative Party will expect Johnson to spend more on education and the police force and he will need to loosen the purse strings for this. Finally, there is a small chance that the Labour Party will call a motion of no confidence against Johnson in case he is unable to unite members of his party in the Parliament. So yes, Johnson is in for a rough time, but with his brand of personality and fairy-dust, he may just be able to swing things his way.