Toast: Andrea's Revenge, Ethics Advisers for Unethical People and Lessons from Mumsnet
One imagines that when South Northants MP Andrea Leadsom drew first blood with an excoriating letter written to Boris Johnson speaking about his “unacceptable failings of leadership” that the ground somewhat gave way beneath the Prime Minister's feet.
Of course, Leadsom always was a bitter individual having had her leadership hopes dashed in 2016 and again in 2019, and resigned to backbench operations after Boris Johnson removed her from cabinet proceedings in his first reshuffle in February 2020.
In some ways, Leadsom has served as the lynchpin in all of this - from her days as serving as one of the figureheads for the ‘Leave’ movement and then later her candidacy for Conservative leader - both of which Leadsom felt the sole qualification that she was a mother was enough. There is obviously more where Leadsom is involved but her most recent crime was that she became the individual that put forward the amendment that sought to exonerate and protect shamed former North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson from a 30-day suspension.
From a sheer reputation perspective, the Conservatives have never truly recovered.
It's fair to say that Leadsom’s career in politics has been rather unedifying.
Her candidacy for leader has been in the making for 6 years now, though - Leadsom has remained patient; and for Johnson, he knows that Leadsom would also have the complete backing of the nefarious cabal of Conservative nihilists in the European Research Group in the absence of Rishi Sunak whose glittering political career detonated like a supernova before our very eyes.
On the other hand, it's also doubtful how much of a threat Leadsom truly poses when some will remember the campaign for her as leader in 2016 - backed by many from the ERG and inspired by grassroots Labour activism - that involved a march through Westminster called 'Rally4Leadsom'.
It was organised by fellow Conservative MP Tim Loughton that left Leadsom too embarrassed to even attend.
Being the first to put their head above the parapet and say "I can take him" however (although this wasn't explicit from the letter) Johnson probably feels a little insecure at this moment in time.