Chris Moncrieff: The Conservatives are heading for the rocks and potential disaster

Attempts have been made to introduce other important political issues on to the agenda but these have all failed, such is the dominance of Brexit and the turmoil it has created throughout Westminster and beyond.

To suggest that the Conservative party is sailing through placid waters would be totally false.

Indeed, many people suspect it is heading for the rocks and disaster.

Others have suggested that before — and yet the Tories have come through, if not smiling then at least reasonably intact.

But this time it looks for real; the Tories really are heading for potential disaster.

It has to be said that although Theresa May will not go down in history as one of our great prime ministers, at least she managed to keep her party reasonably intact.

But under Boris Johnson, the Tories appear to be involved in an act of self-molestation before our very eyes.

Boris’ brother Jo, a junior minister, who takes a diametrically opposite view on Brexit to his brother, is to quit the government and leave politics altogether at the next general election.

Meanwhile, Johnson has suffered another severe blow by the resignation of the so-called ‘queen of flip-flops’ and one of the most familiar faces in the Theresa May government, Amber Rudd.

She has had more than enough and regards the government’s actions as ‘political vandalism’.

How long the Tories can last in this state is a matter for conjecture but there is little doubt that at the moment, they are on a downward slide.

Brexit has changed the face of British politics and it’s not over yet by any manner of means.

So watch this space.

l Things are at least marginally better in the Labour party, but not much.

Even Jeremy Corbyn’s brother Piers has taken against him over Brexit, and there are also plenty of signs of deep discontent in the Labour camp about Corbyn’s leadership.

Rarely has Parliament been in such tumult and it will take at least a general election to sort out the shambles.

It is quite wrong for MPs to talk about ‘this honourable house’, when in fact it is a dishonourable house having reneged on its pledge to support the result of the referendum.

What Parliament now needs is a complete spring clean, which only a general election could provide.

Let us hope it happens soon and that this shabby Parliament should be lost in the midst of time.

l It looked as though at last the days of the Speaker were numbered, and sure enough yesterday he said that he was standing down.

Boris Johnson wanted him out of the way and serious moves were afoot to dump him.

He has, in my view, been a disaster as Speaker and has demonstrated very little impartiality from the first day of his election to the job.

It is very rare for MPs to challenge the Speaker but this time, MPs — particularly Tory MPs — have had enough.

He has been rude and offensive to many members, showing favouritism to some and distinct coolness towards others.

He was fortunate that all previous attempts to dump him had fallen by the wayside.

It looks as though he will be found a cosy nook in the House of Lords, where he can do no more damage.