Given Boris Johnson’s behaviour, we shouldn’t be surprised when his MPs misbehave

Editorial: The succession of scandals that have hit the Tory administration have too often been caused or facilitated by the prime minister personally

It has become clear that Johnson ignored clear, if non-specific, warnings about Chris Pincher’s past behaviour (PA)

Given what is known about his own libertine behaviour, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Boris Johnson’s MPs tend to follow suit.

Although differing widely in circumstances and seriousness, the succession of scandals that have hit his administration since his appointment have too often been caused by the prime minister personally, or facilitated by the boozy, chaotic culture he has inculcated in government and within his party. Most notably, the collection of law-breaking events known as Partygate – and extending to allegations that he knowingly and craftily misled parliament.

Because of the dissolute behaviour he has cultivated, the prime minister has made casualties of policy advisers, chiefs of staff, press officers, his civil servants, his ministers – and indeed his MPs.

Obviously, Mr Johnson cannot be held personally responsible for his deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher, getting drunk and allegedly groping two men. The prime minister is not, by any means, omniscient.

However, it has been alleged that he ignored clear (albeit non-specific) warnings about Mr Pincher’s past behaviour before appointing him to what is a highly sensitive and powerful role. There is some irony in the idea that one of the people in charge of ensuring party discipline should himself be so personally uncontrolled, at least in this instance.

Mr Johnson is also responsible for letting Mr Pincher off too lightly, initially, and allowing him to stay on as a Conservative MP. Perhaps the prime minister, not the most bashful of souls, could not cope with the added irony of the deputy chief whip having the whip withdrawn and having to sit as an independent member of parliament. As ever, his resolution lasted for mere hours – an index of how weak Mr Johnson has grown.

At any rate, he is displaying the same complacent and indulgent approach that he took with Owen Paterson and Neil Parish – and it is both inappropriate and unsustainable. Indeed, it is counterproductive.

The Conservative Party, despite its long roll call of morally compromised representatives, does not enjoy a monopoly on sleaze. Nonetheless it does possess the sleaziest prime minister in history, and seems to incubate such behaviour more prolifically than the other parties.

The party has also changed in recent times, with more women willing to speak out against unacceptable behaviour. Two of its more prominent female MPs, Karen Bradley and Caroline Nokes, have spoken about the tendency of the party (like so many organisations) to close ranks and try to protect its own: “Once an investigation has been completed, a decision should be taken about returning the whip, but in the meantime, anyone subject to such an investigation should not be allowed to sit as a Conservative MP and represent the party in any capacity.”

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There is another unnamed Tory MP who, as the Bradley-Nokes note points out, has been arrested on suspicion of “indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust, and misconduct in public office”, and yet retains the whip and takes part in party activities. Again, protecting the party seems to come first, but it’s doing no one much good.

This government is falling apart. It is helpless in the face of the cost of living crisis. It doesn’t know how to handle industrial disputes in key sectors. It is mired in scandals, many involving the prime minister himself. The cabinet is mediocre, and the parliamentary party – with rare exceptions – is undistinguished.

Brexit is failing, and the country is short of everything, from housing and workers to passports and GP appointments. The government is persecuting a noisy eccentric in Parliament Square and deporting refugees to Rwanda.

It breaks intentional law, and arrogates vast executive power to itself. It suppresses the vote, and gags the judiciary. It is rotten and incompetent.

We cannot go on like this.