Mark Dolan: How do you solve a problem like Boris Johnson?

How do you solve a problem like Boris Johnson?

A man of innumerable talents – wit, a keen intelligence, charm and a stubborn ability to bounce back. But can he bounce back from this one?

It’s possible. But he’s got his work cut out. But so did Liverpool at half time in 2005 against AC Milan.

Summarily dumped by the Scottish Tories who won't even let the PM speak at their party conference and subject to letters to the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers from the likes of the highly respected Andrew Bridgen, you do have to wonder whether Boris's days are numbered.

Not with standing his many talents, Boris seems to be proving my theory, that he is good at winning public votes - twice in Labour dominated London as Mayor, Brexit of course and a landslide win in December 2019.

So winning he;’s good at, but he seems to struggle with that pesky bit in between - actually running the country. In the end, I just suspect that this entertaining Maverick may lack the skill set and wise judgement required for the burdens of high office. But I think we're not quite there with Boris.

I don't think it's quite game over just yet. The fat lady has her dress on, she’s clearing her throat, but she hasn’t begun to sing.

So it's hard to know whether the Prime Minister will change, wants to change or can change. He ended our Brexit hell, he kept Jeremy Corbyn out of number 10, he presided over a world-class vaccine rollout and his innate liberalism, shaped a lighter touch policy on Covid restrictions starting with an understandable reluctance to lock down at the start – he may be proved right on that - freedom day on the 19th of July and far lighter measures in England than elsewhere in the UK over Christmas.

This approach – Sweden light – appears to be vindicated in terms of cases, hospitalisations and sad deaths. If only the Prime Minister had been able to follow his instincts, and take an approach like that throughout the pandemic.

Don’t get me wrong – in my view we’ve had so far too many scientifically debatable restrictions on his watch and the non-Covid death toll will be tragically high, as well as the economic and societal damage. But under almost anyone else, things would have been even worse. So be careful what you wish for I say.

During this pandemic, imagine if we’d had Prime Minister Corbyn?

Prime minister Gove? Prime Minister Jeremy Hunt, Prime Minister Hancock?

Or how about this one – King of the lockdown – the man who said freedom day was reckless Prime Minister Starmer.

In the end it will be sad if a stupid soap opera like party gate is what ultimately brings Boris down? Because I care about the real stuff, upon which a Prime Minister should rise or fall.

The economy, the NHS, crime, national security and schools. But partygate demonstrated that the elite, led by Boris Johnson had total contempt for the rules they were inflicting upon the rest of us.

And it's clear that they weren't afraid of Covid and that they considered the measures by which they did not abide, to be total bollocks.

So in the end, it could be one party too many for this party-loving Premier. But if he goes, I'm not sure that's a cause for celebration.