Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on the deeply divided Conservative Party – in Croydon
Missing in action: Croydon South MP and Johnson fan-boy Chris Philp has not tweeted since July 1
There has been what can only be assumed to be stunned silence overnight from Croydon’s sole Conservative MP, Chris Philp, as all around him other ministers in the sordid and law-breaking government of Boris Johnson have been resigning.
But one of Philp’s sometime colleagues, ex-MP Gavin Barwell, has been busy sharing his opinions, saying that “there is zero chance” of the Conservative Party uniting behind Johnson.
Philp has spent the past couple of years as a paid apologist for Prime Minister Blo-Jo, but following the shock resignations yesterday evening, first of health minister Sajid Javid, and then, minutes later, of Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Member for Croydon South has been remarkably quiet.
Resigned: Rishi Sunak’s move could remove Johnson as Prime Minister
There has not even been a cut-and-paste re-tweet of anything that junior minister Philp’s boss at the Culture ministry, Nadine Dorries, has said in support of Johnson.
The Tuesday night resignations came less than 48 hours after Lord Rothermere pulled the rug out from under the lying, philandering and law-breaking Prime Minister, as the newspaper he owns, the Daily Mail, finally turned on Johnson.
Today, its columnist Stephen Glover wrote, “Six weeks ago, I wrote, ‘Boris’s idiocies over Partygate symbolise a wider unsuitability for office that can never be corrected’. That – plus his lack of a coherent political plan – remains my view.”
This morning, as Johnson tried to shore up his crumbling government with a mini-reshuffle, Downing Street was hit by further resignations. Philp, though, remained schtum and in his job. At least 10 other government aides had in the meantime quit, many citing [checks notes] the Prime Minister’s lies and the matter of principle.
One of this morning’s Exiteers, education minister Will Quince, said he had “no choice” but to resign after he appeared on television to defend Johnson using Downing Street briefings over parliamentary sex pest, Chris Pincher, “which have now been found to be inaccurate”.
Laura Trott, a parliamentary aide in the transport department, also resigned, as well as Alex Chalk, the solicitor general, late on Thursday night.
This morning, the website of The Grauniad noted, “Johnson is due to give evidence to the Commons liaison committee this afternoon at 3pm. Most of the MPs on the committee are very critical of him, and perhaps he is wondering if he can give it a miss, arguing that he needs to focus on the reshuffle instead?”
Last month, Philp was eviscerated live on national television, when he encountered union leader Mick Lynch on Newsnight and was described as a “liar” at least 16 times. His political career may never recover.
Today, Green campaigner Peter Underwood called on his Croydon neighbours to withdraw their support for Johnson’s human shield Philp by never voting for him again.
At last: how the former Tory MP for Croydon Central reacted to last night’s breaking news about a broken government
“I know that my MP has no morals or principles, so it doesn’t surprise me that he hasn’t resigned from whatever government job he is failing to do at the moment,” Underwood tweeted.
“I just hope my neighbours in Croydon South have the morals and principles never to vote for him again.”
“Lord” Barwell, until 2017 the MP for Croydon Central, has long displayed his animous towards his former pal, Johnson. The ill-feeling stems from Barwell’s time as chief of staff at No10 when Theresa May was Prime Minister, while Johnson continued to rock the badly holed Brexit boat.
Barwell’s first reaction on seeing Sunak’s resignation last night was to tweet the hashtag #AtLast.
Over the course of the evening and this morning, Barwell has elaborated slightly.
“This is the consequence of lying to your own ministers about what you knew,” Barwell wrote in reaction to Quince’s resignation this morning.
Perhaps unintentionally, Barwell provided a view on Philp’s continuing inaction. “The good ones don’t like being made to look like fools – and Will Quince was one of the good ones.”
Last night, Barwell noted that more than half of those who voted Tory in 2019 – delivering Johnson his parliamentary majority – now want the Prime Minister to resign. “This is significant,” he wrote.
And he also tweeted, “There is zero chance of the party uniting behind Johnson. We have almost certainly reached the point where a majority of Conservative MPs – and more importantly voters – have lost confidence. The sooner his remaining supporters realise this the better.”
And in another tweet, Barwell wrote, “If the Prime Minister does manage to survive – and right now that feels very unlikely – what was already a pretty weak government will have lost some of its best members.”
Chris Philp, at the time of writing, remains the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy in Boris Johnson’s Conservative government.
Read more: MP Philp: ‘Brown-nosing is first, second and third nature’
Read more: ‘A pattern of unacceptable behaviour, spread over months’
Read more: ‘The Prime Minister admits he lied’ says Tory Lord Barwell
Read more: Boo-ris Johnson: Barwell predicts end for PM could be close
Read more: Croydon South’s Tory MP called a ‘liar’ 16 times on national TV
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How lovely to read such a balanced and well-informed article! Ho! Ho!
Will Philp flip
Doubt it!
Perhaps they a quite astute sextet at the Department of Transport (or just cynic’s) – after all they were not going to peddle that rubbish Philp did on National TV and all then have to fall on their swords
But I note Peters point.
I would suggest to Conservative and Unionist Voters to consider this.
Pro – an extremely loyal MP so far beyond the call of duty and the requirements of lapdog and fag of the Bullingdon Bombshell. May on many occasion do well on an individual issue and tries not to disobey the whip. Smiles in the face of annihilation delivering others briefs they may be (Allegedly) shit Shapp scared to deliver. But hey, he does have a stupidly nice smile, and is probably a decent person in private when not following inane and stupid instructions.
Con – Appears a Court Jester/ Apparently grinning on TV like an imbecile thinking he has won an argument with lies after being called a liar (and with a lot of prima-facia evidence already in the public arena) Poor checker of fact and perhaps not in touch with reality, etc etc et al
Finally – with the shit show at Fishers Folly, Bombshell ensuring the Country not even making it to a dogs dinner, Those pesky non conservative and unionist residents have a bit of a tough time ahead to visit on the less fortunate. But where else is everyone going to get their light entertainment from in Croydon!
Perhaps those clever voters in the south knew this all the time and after all with Lord Harpwell carping ”orf with his head” one has sometimes to just dig in and be pig ignorant.
So Peter I am inclined to disagree
I think Voters should continue to vote for this chap and Inside Croydon should continue with detailed coverage of the wonderful Lad of the South in the Light entertainment section edited in a suitable style of the late great Mr Jeffrey Bernard or those of like Wit and Raconteur
Let’s hope that Boris Johnson does not resign and is not deposed in a 1922 Committee coup, but continues to lead the Conservative Party, with the unwavering support of Chris Philp and Croydon Conservatives. Nothing else would guarantee the collapse of the Conservative Party.
Quick check of the bookies have Penny Mourdant as favourite for next Tory leader. Not seen her in the news lately which may be a good thing for her chances.
‘“If the Prime Minister does manage to survive – and right now that feels very unlikely – what was already a pretty weak government will have lost some of its best members.”
Chris Philp, at the time of writing, remains the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy in Boris Johnson’s Conservative government.’
Well played…
Johnson is already politically dead and is now heading a zombie regime. Quite an apt regime to promote Chris Philp. The living dead is the state of his political career now that he has strapped himself to a deckchair on the Titanic success.
Forty four ministers have now resigned. Philp must be waiting for the men in white coats with Johnson if he believes he will be provided with a senior cabinet post in a dead rump of a cabinet. It shows his level of political understanding and competence. This lackey is finished and better return to looking for money from Montenegro and Cyprus in his dodgy mortgage refinancing company.
Philp is among a rapidly diminishing group, though not alone.
Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Scully is also clinging to the wreckage.
Putting self ahead of the country.
He has enabled and defended the behaviours of Johnson for months. That is inexcusable.
Never forget!
Well he’s finally going before being kicked out of Number 10. I wonder what Philp thinks he has achieved by supporting a deceitful and bigoted leader to the end? Perhaps voters in South Croydon need to be a bit more judicious about which name they put their X to next time round.