Johnson after historic court verdict: Next, always on

Boris Johnson is still in New York on Tuesday when he speaks out in front of business people for the hardest blow of his term. The Supreme Court had overturned Johnson's controversial compulsory break for the British Parliament. The historic verdict: The head of government of Great Britain had slowed down the deputies illegally.

"Of course," he has the highest respect for the jurisdiction of his country, says the prime minister finally in Mannhatten. But he does not share the opinion of the judges. "We in the UK," says Johnson, "will not let us stop them from implementing the will of the people." And this will be the EU exit on 31 October.

Thus the tone is set: The verdict, which resonates in this opinion, is part of an offensive of those, which would have only one goal - to stop the Brexit.

People against establishment

For weeks, the British government is in campaign mode. It is still not clear when exactly new elections will come - but in view of the chaos on the island, they are considered inevitable. And Johnson puts on clear fronts: people against establishment. Of course, he and his hardliner people in this story represent the people. They are watching the Brexit referendum of 2016, they say. Unlike all the others.

According to the establishment, the annoying parliament, whose majority wants to prevent unregulated Brexit, is one of the establishment. Therefore, the prime minister actually wanted to silence the deputies for several weeks. The Supreme Court now got in his way. Establishment, government communication is obviously designed, is now the judiciary.

But this is also clear: A quick resignation is unlikely to be expected by Johnson. Even if the opposition is now trying desperately to increase the pressure. "This unprepared Prime Minister should resign now," said Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn to his supporters at the party congress in Manchester. Similarly, leaders of the politicians of the Scottish SNP, the Liberals, the Welsh party plaid Cymru.

Mad attacks in parliament

This Wednesday, the government awaits further angry attacks in Parliament. The day after the court verdict, MEPs reunite for the first time. Johnson himself returned at noon from his New York trip on the occasion of the recent UN summit. In the afternoon he wants to speak in the lower house.

Perhaps it should remain but once against sharp attacks against him. The opposition is still hesitant to overturn Johnson by vote of no confidence. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn has served as a transitional premier, but the Altlinke is considered by many in the lower house as uneröbar.

And from his own people threatened the prime minister, apparently for the time being no immediate danger. Although there are indications that this defeat was not included in the Supreme Court; that the government has gambled this time. It has since become known that Geoffrey Cox, Attorney General, who participates in cabinet meetings as such in the UK, had told Johnson that parliamentary sup- ply was lawful.

The anger of many conservatives is now directed against Cox - and against Dominic Cummings, Johnson's chief consultant, who is considered the architect of the daring and maximum confrontational Brexit strategy. Those individuals who "advised Johnson" to do so would have to leave Downing Street, said ex-Justice Minister David Gauke, who was expelled from the Tory faction.

Fast coup unlikely

From the ranks of those who are still part of the heavily decimated Conservatives in the House of Commons, however, there is little criticism of the Prime Minister himself. And not only because Johnson has arranged silence. Rather, there are solid reasons that make a coup unlikely for the time being.

• The harshest critics are already gone: Johnson had thrown 21 rebels in a radical sweep of faction and party. Since then he only acts with a fuselage team, far from a parliamentary majority. But currently, normal government work is out of the question anyway. The Brexit-Ultras fear again, without Johnson, the government could give up its tough EU course again.
• The Tory law protects Johnson: Formally, the Conservatives in Parliament can also get rid of their leaders by an in-party vote of no confidence. This would require a vote in the group. However, there is a new rule according to which the party leader in his first year in office is immune to such formal fall attempts. And Johnson leads the Tories since the end of July.
• Campaign united: Given the expected new elections, many Tories feel little desire for a new power struggle at the top. Especially since the party in polls is currently back in front.
• A power vacuum threatens. It is completely unclear who would follow Johnson. There is no formal representative. De facto Foreign Minister Dominic Raab holds this post. The Brexit hardliner could lead a government without Johnson interim. But even Chancellor Sajid Javid could register claims.

Ultras gather behind Johnson

So it's not surprising that the right-wing Tories are gathering behind Johnson. For example, Steve Baker, head of the national-conservative European Research Group, said after the London ruling that the current chaos was not caused by the prime minister. And Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is responsible for parliamentary affairs in the Cabinet, according to media reports drove the next attack on the judiciary: The court decision, he said, was "a constitutional coup".

Sure, the mood could turn when Johnson still gives the EU a new exit deal that is too soft for the Brexit Ultras. Alternatively, the prime minister himself might quit - for example, if he is forced by law on October 19 to request a moratorium on leaving the EU. For Johnson, that would be the breach of his central promise to the Brexit fans. Well possible that he does not want to take this shame on himself and resigns. But only then.