Boris Johnson is one of the symptoms of a broken Westminster system

by Nicola Sturgeon
Posted on
3 years ago
2 min read

Boris Johnson was left with no option but to resign – but in truth, this should have happened a long time ago.

The fact that the Tory party was only moved to act when it became clear he had misled some of his closest colleagues lays bare all that is wrong with Westminster.

Boris Johnson as Prime Minister was only the latest manifestation of a dysfunctional, broken, and corrupt Westminster system that long ago stopped working for Scotland.

No party with the interests of the public at heart would have elected someone with his track record to a position of leadership.

And he certainly should not have been enabled to continue in Downing Street for as long as he did.
The chaos and complete lack of integrity that has characterised his time in office have, in the last few days, descended into complete and utter farce.

And all at a time when people in every part of the UK are struggling with very real challenges.

While there will be a huge and very widespread sense of relief that Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister is coming to an end, it is just unsustainable to say he will carry on as caretaker PM.

For as long as he remains in Number 10, he will want to do things – and, in the process of that, would undoubtedly cause even more chaos than he has already.

On a personal level, I wish Boris Johnson and his family well, but the fact is he should never have been in Downing Street.

I look forward to working with his successor, whoever that may be, to tackle the urgent and pressing issues facing all of us – especially the crippling cost of living crisis that is impacting so many people across the UK.

But whoever becomes PM should also know that Scotland expects them to respect democracy and acknowledge the cast-iron democratic mandate for a choice on the country’s future.

And regardless of who now occupies Number 10, it is becoming clearer by the day that Scotland needs more than a change of Prime Minister or a temporary reprieve from the chaos, incompetence and democratic deficit of Westminster – we need the permanent alternative of independence.