Boris Johnson: Edinburgh's grassroots Tories no longer believe in the Prime Minister. He must resign – John McLellan

If anyone wants to know how Boris Johnson can cling on, they need only have watched yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions as the opposition tried to skewer him over the Chris Pincher affair.

Boris Johnson must resign (Picture: Victoria Jones/PA)

The goalkeeper was lying injured outside the box and star striker Starmer only had to tap it into a yawning goal from a yard out to win the game. But the ball rolled past the post. Had he been on the phone to bookies in Malaysia? How could he miss?

Maybe Sir Keir knows his chances are better with Mr Johnson still on the pitch, but despite a couple of quips which pleased his backbenchers, only with his last question did the Labour leader hit the target and by then it was too late. The greased piglet looked like escaping again.

Bound up with sex pest problems of his own, SNP leader Ian Blackford was left holding the half-time oranges, and could only make Mr Johnson’s point for him, that the debate should be about the cost-of-living crisis, not another scandal and the now customary botched Number 10 cover-up.

The real damage was in Sajid Javid’s devastating personal statement immediately after, on the theme of honesty and integrity which a sheepish Prime Minister was forced to endure as the Commons sat in rapt silence. If Mr Johnson is to be substituted, it can’t be by the opposition coaching team.

Here we are but distant by-standers, but the Prime Minister’s reputation is largely responsible for the fall in the Conservative vote in the council elections across the Lothians, particularly in Edinburgh where the party went from top for first preferences in 2017 to fourth.

It disabused members of any notion local politics could overcoming negativity about the national leadership, as in 2017, and Edinburgh Conservatives reluctantly accept the cause cannot be advanced here while Mr Johnson is in power.

To appoint Chris Pincher to manage party discipline, knowing his disciplinary record, smacks of regarding such matters as trifles and eccentricities, not inappropriate behaviour or the ticking timebomb they proved to be. When the charge sheet is as lengthy as Boris Johnson’s, the Sturgeon “I forgot” defence simply doesn’t wash.

With a reactive leader who seems incapable of telling a straight story and whose judgement is guided by what he thinks he can get away with to serve his own interests, not what is right, is it any wonder activists are dismayed?

No-one I’ve spoken to is buying the “let him get on with what matters” line being pedalled by ministers from the Whitehall bunker, including previous supporters, and morale is at such a low ebb there are serious questions about the party’s ability to campaign should an election be fought under Mr Johnson’s leadership.

Canvassing is virtually out the question because members would be put in the impossible position of either having to defend the indefensible or tell voters they don’t believe in the leadership, both of which tarnish the brand. While one or two might admire the bravery, there is a higher chance of abuse as happened regularly during the last campaign.

Volunteers won’t put themselves through it unless they believe in what they’re doing and while Edinburgh Conservatives believe in the Union, low taxes and small government, they don’t believe in Boris Johnson. Time’s up.