Evening Standard comment: Will anyone dare challenge King Boris?; The debt goes up again

Go see a Shakespeare play, read your Roman classics, watch an episode of House of Cards or follow Donald Trump on Twitter. In all places, and at all times, politics has been about the exercise of power.

Throughout our history the great issues at stake have changed — from the reformation of the church and repeal of the Corn Laws, to the battle with the miners and the invasion of Iraq, and now Brexit.

But one question remains the same: who gets to make the decision? Who sits on the throne? Boris Johnson understands this. He has plotted a determined course to the highest office in the land. He has taken risks, adopted causes of convenience and toppled premiers to get there.

He backed the Leave campaign in 2016, resigned as foreign secretary in 2018, promised Tory members that he’d get Brexit done in 2019, because that’s what it took to get to Number 10.

David Cameron, then Theresa May and now the Tory rebels have all paid the price of underestimating his ruthlessness.

For Mr Johnson has the crown, he loves wearing it, and he isn’t ready to give it up. So ignore all the talk this week about the need for more parliamentary scrutiny, the importance of a special trade partnership and the Nandy-Snell amendments.

These matter for real lives and real businesses in the country but they won’t be decided on the merits of the facts.

The only question you have to ask yourself is this: is there anyone out there who wants Mr Johnson’s crown enough that they will do whatever it takes to wrestle it from him?

The answer, at the moment, appears to be: no.

The Labour Party is not single-minded in its pursuit of office. If it were, it would both ditch the most unpopular leader in its history and crush that group of dissident, deluded Labour MPs who cannot see that in voting for the deal to leave the EU they are in fact voting for Mr Johnson to remain in Number 10.

The DUP have managed to turn the position of power-broker in to one of powerlessness. It is slowly dawning on them that, as facilitators of Brexit, they have become handmaidens to a united, federated Ireland. But are they now, at this late stage, prepared to do whatever it takes — back a second referendum, support a customs union or play for a delay — in order to get back into the game? Apparently not.

What about the 21 Tory rebels? They have shown heroic self-sacrifice in the cause of preventing a no-deal departure, for which the country will always be in their debt.

But gratitude gets you nowhere in politics. For, ironically, the biggest beneficiary of the Benn Act was Boris Johnson. It united the hardliners behind him, and forced them to accept a deal.

The rebel power comes from their numbers. United, they can still dictate the course the country: if they collectively backed a second poll or a customs union or a delay for more scrutiny this week, these things would happen.

But the rebel alliance is not interested in seizing control of the empire. Instead they have scattered. Yes, some remain defiant, as Philip Hammond’s column for the Evening Standard today shows. Most, however, are suing for peace.

There may be Brexit surprises ahead, and the numbers are tight, but the truth is that, contrary to the old adage, he who wields the knife wears the crown.

Does anyone dare challenge King Boris for his throne?

The debt goes up again

What would politics be worrying about if Brexit wasn’t taking up all the time? Money.

The Government promises lots more for the police, the NHS and schools. But where’s it going to come from? For it’s not prepared to raise taxes to pay for these things. So borrowing goes up.

Today’s figures show that, at £9.4 billion, borrowing is up on the same month last year.

Across 12 months Britain is borrowing £40.3 billion, up £7.2 billion on the same period last year. It’s storing up trouble for the future.

Surely, after the last decade, the country has learned that we have to pay our way — or pay the price.

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Brexit high noon as rebels battle to force PM into key concessions