The country’s relationship with the EU is at rock-bottom due to the government’s failure to comply with the mutually agreed EU Trade Agreement and Northern Ireland Protocol. Johnson and the Conservatives have cost the country dear with the economy tanking and virtually every public institution in crisis after 13 years of Tory rule, while poverty and social inequality are increasing at unprecedented rates.

Leaving the EU I classify as a capital crime against the people who are now beginning to realise and experience the implications of leaving. Exporters, farmers, fisherman, NHS, social care, hospitality, construction, freighters and many other sectors are now feeling the severely disruptive consequences of the loss of free-movement and changed customs procedures. And many involved now regret their vote to leave the EU. And even worse is in prospect.

While the trade balance of payments (the financial difference between imports and exports) worsens, the government is desperately trying to secure new trade deals - at any cost. Farmers in particular are worried about what’s to come, and their own short-term commercial viability.

Then along came Covid pandemic and the combination of the country’s lack of preparedness and inadequate initial government response led ultimately to one of the world’s largest death rates at over 200,000 (and still rising), and for an island nation that should have been able to protect its populations far more easily (as most other island nations did). Johnson’s only available option was to maximise the rate of vaccinations and waste billions in acquiring other supplies, as well as a hugely expensive and outsourced, ineffective monitoring system. The furlough payments were inevitable after the government were obliged to lock-down the country several times - the government had no option but to pay. The claim that Johnson was ‘near to death’ with Covid is an insult to those who actually were - he spent 3 days in intensive care as a precaution, was not intubated, and got back to work very quickly. Great Johnson PR!

The long-awaited public enquiry will reveal uncomfortable truths about Johnson and his cabinet in dealing with the pandemic - an enquiry delayed by a year to avoid political embarrassment and negative revelations close to the next general election. Johnson continues to overstate his international leadership support of the Ukraine conflict while his relationship with Russians, overseas political funding, and failure to impose earlier sanctions on oligarchs who have invested heavily in UK assets are in serious question.

Amongst Johnson’s many bogus claims is the development of Freeports extolled as some miracle economic strategy. It is far from that. Effectively, Freeports are only a way to delay paying duties and taxes until goods leave the premises at which point all duties and taxies have to be paid. During the 13 years of the conservative government such facilities were actually closed. They also closed gas storage facilities, sacked over 20,000 police officers, and through austerity starved every invaluable public institution and local council of cash. The Justice system has collapsed and the boast of 40 more hospitals fails to explain how they will be staffed with currently close to 200,000 staff shortages in the NHS and Social Care homes. Then there was the elevation of the failed Financial Conduct Authority head, Andrew Bailey, to Governor of The Bank of England where he continued to exhibit his incompetence by declaring that the UK’s GDP would bounce back quickly within months and ignoring serious warnings of growing inflation. The result? Record inflation and the threat of recession with only minor future growth.