It only took 38 days for Boris Johnson’s mask to slip.
Since his discharge from hospital, he’s been declaring his undying support for migrant workers in the NHS and care services. They had, after all, literally saved his life.
He turned up to PMQs yesterday (WED) with an even fluffier hairdo, eager to play the cuddly uncle expressing dismay at the deaths of care workers and urging Keir Starmer not to be so darned negative all the time.
The government, he implored, was doing a fantastic job at getting people tested in care homes - and grumpy guts should just can it with his boring insistence on “facts” and “evidence.”
“Piffle. Nonsense. What what?” he seemed to intone to the backbenchers, most of whom are still - for now - not there to back him up with braying and cheering.
But then Uncle Cuddly took a moment to remind us he’d got where he is by appealing to some of his party’s more nationalist sentiments.
Starmer pointed out care staff from overseas would have to work for 70 hours to pay off the mammoth ‘health surcharge’ imposed on migrants who get sick - even if they work in the care sector.
Johnson said it was “right” to send foreigners a bill for the privilege of accessing the health service they risk their lives to prop up.
Brave care workers don’t pay for themselves, you know.
The NHS is a “national service”, he said. “A national institution!” - placing heavy emphasis on ‘national’ in case any dogs had missed the whistle.
Clearly nobody had told him out that even Ukippers - from whom the Tories had nicked the “it’s not an International Health Service” line - were backing Keir on this one.
Earlier in the day former Ukip leader Henry Bolton had said the charges were “flawed”.
That’s the same Henry Bolton who was turfed out of the party after his girlfriend was found to have sent some rather racy text messages about Meghan Markle’s heritage.
Johnson might have been left wondering whether it’s him who has misjudged the mood of the nation this time.
