Decision time for Tory PM candidates

With the second vote by Tory MPs for the next prime minister due on Tuesday, the candidates are having to juggle between going hell for leather to make the final shortlist or start coseying up to Boris Johnson in order to ensure a place in his cabinet. This whole business is pretty creepy. Only one of the candidates so far has said he is not interested in serving under Boris and that's the long-odds Rory Stewart, the slightly eccentric-looking International Development Secretary. Well good for him I say. He has absolutely no chance of beating Boris but he has enough integrity and self-assurance to make it clear he doesn't rate Boris and therefore won't be seeking a post in his cabinet. Some of the others, notably Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, who also has little chance of beating Boris, has, with a perfectly straight face, said he would be happy to serve under Boris. There are even suggestions that he is angling for the Community Secretary job so he can tackle the housing crisis. Boris might be tempted because it would keep Gove out of the big-time limelight but at the same time might actually produce some needy solution to sort out the housing challenge. Gove likes a challenge. He tried his style of solution-finding at both the Department of Education and the Justice Department. So I guess it's unfair to be critical of Gove and the other candidates who are playing it both ways, fighting for the leadership but taking out an insurance policy to curry favour with Boris in case they don't make it. After all, it's one thing to lose the race for the premiership but it's quite another to lose your post in the cabinet and have to survive on an MP's salary, without the fancy government limousines and a host of civil servants to look after your every need. Nevertheless it is a bit cringeing to hear these candidates desperately wanting to stay in government when what they would really like to do is condemn Boris as a man unsuited to be the next prime minister. This is what Gove, of course, said the last time there was a Tory leadership battle. He said Boris wasn't up to it. Hohoho how politicians have to change their ways when needs must. Boris must be giggling like a schoolboy as he plans out his prospective cabinet. Should he give Gove a job? Hohoho it's such fun. Tuesday is the day when the remaining candidates who are not Boris will face reality. If they do badly, they will be out. If they do well enough to go through to the next round, but Boris is still miles ahead, do they still fight on or do a deal - drop out in return for a cabinet post? Boris is laughng all the way to Number 10. Trump is going to be delighted.