Undignified exit

Quite on the anticipated lines, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from his post after losing support from his party members. The three-year term of his premiership is being described by many as the most chaotic phase in modern UK politics. Terming him the "worst prime minister" in modern British history, The Guardian lamented that the infamous Conservative leader has not yet gone as he remains as the caretaker prime minister. The undignified resignation of Johnson has left open the possibilities of appointment of a leader of Indian descent, including women, to the high office in Downing Street. Johnson's resignation has raised questions over the progression of India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) for the time being. Though a domino of resignation from top-most officeholders in Johnson's cabinet pulled the immediate trigger, an overwhelming sense of rejection was already looming large within the Conservative party. Johnson's downfall was scripted the moment Rishi Sunak stepped down as the Chancellor of the Exchequer after it was clear that Boris Johnson had appointed Chris Pincher — a man alleged of sexual misconduct in drunken state — as deputy chief whip in 2019 in full knowledge of his misbehavior. Sunak's stepping down resulted in a slurry of resignations from the cabinet. Even before Sunak, Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid, former Mayor of London, had resigned from the government. Most importantly, the air against Boris Johnson was already building up. From the yet unresolved Brexit conundrum to Britain taking the heaviest toll on account of COVID-19 pandemic among the developed nations, his term in office was replete with scandals. The prime minister himself was castigated for being involved in the partygate scandal, in which he roamed around freely in parties and gatherings when the British public was subject to strict Covid restrictions. This lethal flouting of rules at the top-most government level didn't go well with the public and dented the image of the party. Amid all this flip-flop, the standard of living of the British people persistently went down, and unemployment rose. One may be susceptible of Boris Johnson's competence, and fret upon his leadership actions, but it must go to the credit of Tories who, almost as an introspective action, let their own PM down mid-term. The challenge before Tories now will be to find a new PM face and, more importantly, make a damage control of the hit its reputation has taken over the past few years. Among the front-runners, Rishi Sunak is leading the race for the PM's post, though his stint under the Johnson government had not been free from controversies. Anyway, by pioneering the spate of resignations, Sunak has placed himself as a hero among people who were fed up with Johnson's regime. Apart from Sunak, two other Indian-origin candidates are in the fray — Priti Patel and Suella Braverman. Soon after Johnson's resignation, Attorney General Suella Braverman swiftly bid for the role. Priti Patel, an acclaimed leader, also stands a chance but her prospects are weakened by the fact that she has been a staunch Johnson loyalist. Sajid Javid can also not be ruled out of the race. The most prominent candidates, however, are Ben Wallace and Penny Mordaunt. There are ample chances this time around for a person of colour to assume the high office at Downing Street — only if Britain approves of it! After three years of turbulence, compounded by the devastating Covid experience, the country needs a firm and sane leader. The world, including India, needs it too. Apprehensions around India potentially suffering on the trade aspect are futile. The strategic partnership between India and the UK has enough depth to sail through leadership changes. Slight hiccups cannot be ruled out on account of curtailed decision-making abilities of the caretaker government, but that shouldn't be much of a concern. Johnson became PM in 2019 with popular mandate, and now that he no longer enjoys that, Tories must ensure his practical exit is swift and steady.