THE hype increases to the extent that some pundits are saying that Rory Stewart – Eton, Oxford, ex-Army etc – is an unconventional candidate based on a few pop-up hand-held videos as he walked about parts of the country. His latest big idea is to hold a separate parliament in the Methodist Hall opposite Westminster if Boris Johnson prorogues parliament to get a no deal. So, presumably he accepts that Boris Johnson is going to win?

However, to hold an alternative parliament he needs the mace, the one Heseltine held aloft when accusing Labour of something long ago. Let us focus on what Rory Stewart is actually proposing. Does he need to apply for a Section 30 to do this mini-referendum-type act?

Stewart said he would never back a motion of no confidence in Johnson if proposed by Labour. Yet, that is what his threat amounts to! Or is he proposing something outrageous to get his name in headlines and appear as one of the people?

The Tories at present do not even have an outright majority in the UK Parliament, something that does not even cause Ruth Davidson to mouth out against, so how can Rory Stewart be taken seriously with his proposed stunt? All he needs to do is to get together with the opposition and propose a vote of no confidence in Johnson.

Of course, Rory is assuming that he would be in government if Johnson became PM. If so, he needs a job and would not want to annoy the big man at any time, but no doubt he has just done that with his extra-parliamentary threat. If he does do it, then a new precedent and procedure would have been set, and Westminster loves to draw on inane procedures and precedents and add them reverently to Erskine May guidelines!

The Tory party and Johnson are aiming to out-Farage Farage in panic. In fact panic is breaking out all over Torydom at present as internal fighting and external threats to try to intimidate the EU are uttered to give substance to the myth of being hard and aggressive to the continentals beyond Dover, a port unknown to Dominic Raab, former Bulldoggish Brexit Secretary.

Never in living memory has that party descended into such internal anarchy. Given the attacks and counter attacks within its ranks from some quite unsavoury characters, and former “grandees” popping up to egg on one side or the other by preaching true Torydom, there will be a titanic task to put the party back together again!

But then, titanic is really a term for disaster!

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

HARRY Flashman is alive and well living in the hollowed-out husk of Boris Johnson.

Created by George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman was an out and out cad. He was a bully, a liar and an opportunist with absolutely no scruples who was expelled from school. Somehow in all the adventures the character always triumphed in the face of adversity more by divine right than merit, and that seems to be where we are heading with Boris.

During an extraordinary interview on the Andrew Marr show in March 2013, Johnson was forensically dissected by the softly spoke Scot Eddie Mair. It was the car crash of all car crash interviews and it revealed in excruciating detail the kind of person who is going to be our next Prime Minister. One of his admissions was that he was asked by a friend for details of a journalist so that he could arrange for him to be beaten up.

The highlight of the interrogation came near the end when Eddie Mair, who had not once raised his voice said, “You’re a nasty piece of work, aren’t you?” Scotland in particular will be in big trouble when Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister and still Scottish Labour and LibDems want us to stay in this so-called union. When are they going to wake up?

Mike Herd
Highland