There is no such thing as a ‘caretaker’ prime minister

There is still plenty of scope for Boris Johnson to preside over disagreements and chaos, as Sean O’Grady explains

Boris Johnson announces he will be replaced – eventually (Getty Images)

Whatever you may have read, there is no such thing as a “caretaker prime minister” in Britain’s constitution. The office of prime minister is binary; you are either prime minister or you are not.

Boris Johnson is still prime minister. He is in possession of all the powers of patronage and royal prerogatives the role implies; he can declare war if he wants. He can appoint ministers or fire them. He can dish out honours and contracts, steer policy, initiate legislation, order a Covid lockdown. He can enjoy the perks and meet foreign leaders. It’s worth repeating: Mr Johnson is prime minister and will be for many weeks.

Some are suspicious of that. Sir John Major thinks it unsustainable, given that Mr Johnson has lost the confidence of his MPs and even his own government. Sir John prefers appointing someone such as Dominic Raab to be prime minister, on an interim basis, simply because Mr Johnson has no support. He might also think Mr Johnson can’t be trusted – whereas Mr Raab can – with the inviolable powers of a PM whom the Queen has asked to form a government in her name.