Boris Johnson faces truly difficult days: From next Tuesday, the UK Supreme Court will deal with the Prime Minister's highly controversial decision to send the parliament into a forced break lasting several weeks. At the end of the month, Johnson's deeply disputed Tories come together for their party convention in Manchester. And above all, of course, these questions are: How to continue at Brexit? And can Johnson hold office?
Ironically, one of the prime opponents of the prime minister speaks up - as detailed as never in recent years. It is the man who once had the Brexit referendum held to quiet the right wing of his party; but in the election campaign for the EU whereabouts campaigned - both in vain. In the summer of 2016, he resigned as Prime Minister: David Cameron.
In fact, it is common in the UK for former heads of government not to be critical of their successors. But normal is nothing in British politics for a long time. Cameron has written a book, 752 pages thick, "For the Record" is the title - "For the record". It's about his time in politics. Above all, it is a settlement with the Brexit Ultras in the Tories: With Michael Gove, who is responsible today in the Cabinet for the "No Deal" plans and once led the campaign of EU opponents. And with Boris Johnson.
"It was ridiculous"
The book will be published next week. The British "Times" now reports in advance and has conducted an interview with Cameron himself. Johnson and Gove, the former Tory leader said, were "terrible" in the 2016 referendum campaign. They had "demolished" the government, Cameron said. "It was ridiculous." The two and others would have "left the truth at home". According to the report, Cameron even calls his former friend Gove "lying" in the book.
Representatives of the Brexit campaign, whose front men also included Johnson, had been shown to be upbeat with false statements and lies for the EU exit. So they went about the country with the fake slogan, London had to transfer 350 million pounds a week to Brussels and the money could just be put into the British health system NHS.
He himself still thinks "every single day" about the lost referendum and its consequences, says Cameron. "I'm very worried about it."
Cameron does not want to rule out a second referendum
The ex-prime minister also commented on the current political chaos in Westminster. Johnson's maneuvering to paralyze Parliament so that MPs do not get in the way of his tough Brexit course is what Cameron describes as "cunning action." He also does not support the expulsion of 21 Tory rebels from party and faction.
A second referendum, which Johnson and his immediate predecessor Theresa May had always rejected, he considers explicitly possible: "I do not think that we can exclude it." He does not think that unregulated Brexit without a deal is "a good idea". But that's exactly what Johnson is heading for - even though the MPs last passed a law that makes it hard to make a hard Brexit.
Cameron and Johnson have been companions and adversaries since college. The dispute culminated in Johnson's decision in 2016 to fight for the referendum rather than an EU exit, apparently for tactical reasons. He was open against the then head of government Cameron.
Cameron's book could fuel the fierce struggle between moderate conservatives and the hard-core rightists in the Tory party. Johnson had completely reorganized the Cabinet when he took office in July this year. Moderate ministers had to leave, but now lots of Brexit-Ultras are on the government and advisory staff in Downing Street. Obviously, the prime minister is thus pursuing the strategy of setting up the Tories for the expected early elections as a clear Brexit party.