As the post-mortem into Boris Johnson’s political downfall begins, it’s important to remember what brought his time as prime minister to its end: an allegation of sexual assault, and an attempt by those in power to cover up what they knew and when.
Many felt Johnson’s leadership had refused to take sexual misconduct seriously. The allegations of sexual misconduct against former deputy whip Chris Pincher, and the revelation that Johnson had brought him into government despite knowing about previous complaints, will be the prime minister’s legacy.
It's not just the sheer number of allegations that blighted Johnson’s time as prime minister, but rather how he oversaw a culture that sought to dismiss victims and protect their own. Parliamentary staffers I have spoken to say the culture of sexual misconduct within Westminster worsened while Johnson was in charge.
