Like the German smash through the Ardennes in 1940, scattering the Allied armies hither and thither which nobody saw coming, this proroguing of parliament followed by a Queen’s Speech establishing the new government’s credentials and programme for the country post Brexit, has caught all Westminster on hop. With a punch which makes the combined opposition, lauded yesterday for coming together on a course within which there are loads of differing views and hidden disagreements, look weak and undecided. It also re-establishes the constitution on a proper track, crucially firmly controlled by the government. The only way now to stop Brexit on Boris’s terms is to defeat the Queen’s Speech, which is a confidence vote, or to take control of parliamentary business and recall Article 50.
Unless the opposition changes its whole character and approach very fast and focuses on pin point targets rather than nuanced preferences, neither will happen. Boris was a showman Mayor, an incompetent Foreign Secretary and a clown leadership campaigner, but he turns out to be a Prime Minister in a totally different league. He mastered the G 7 summit with a Trump bromance, but backed the EU against Trump on every major issue. He was the only personality to rival Trump for media draw. He has now thrown down a gauntlet that might well disable the opposition entirely. Evidently Prime Minister was the only job he ever wanted.
It may turn out to be the only one he can actually do. Really well.