‘Electoral oblivion is probably the least they deserve’ - how Sunak’s government continues on its death spiral and why it might be over sooner than they think

Last week was Sunak’s political nightmare brought to life. 

If it wasn’t the ghost of Boris Johnson coming back to haunt Sunak at the COVID Inquiry, it was the ghost of Suella Braverman reemerging to irritate Sunak over his latest attempts to quell dissent over immigration policy. 

Actually - 

It was a much smaller - though nonetheless important - story that Sunak should be most worried about that encapsulates many of the problems facing the Conservatives moving forward - if it’s able to do that at all after this coming week*

[* - It begins with him giving evidence to the COVID Inquiry on Monday - being asked whether he resents being referred to as ‘Dr. Death’ is, weirdly, the least of Sunak’s concerns…]

Sunak’s government saw its first government defeat on a vote which saw almost 30 Conservatives rebel against a three-line whip, and vote in favour of establishing a compensatory body for victims of the infected blood scandal. 

Why this is important to focus on - aside from the obvious catharsis that those affected will finally see some deserved sense of justice after over 40 years of campaigning - is because, politically, it exposes the gentle hold that Sunak has when it comes to power that I’ve been speaking about for the last year. 

You could make the reasonable argument that this seemingly inconsequential vote was perhaps the most important moment in Sunak’s premiership thus far; the moment the government finally lost control.

And it’s all about ‘numbers’.