I had always thought that Boris Johnson’s tenure as prime minister would begin on a high before crashing to earth after a few months.

However, not even I suspected how rapidly this would happen.

As a classisist the prime minister will be acutely aware of the parallels between his own situation and Greek tragedy.

For those of us who have listened to Boris Johnson and read his musings over many years, he can at times look pretty impressive.

He is a powerful speaker with an acute turn of phrase and a fluent writer. Further, I don't believe that he is some sort of reincarnation of Oswald Moseley, the former leader of the British Union of Fascists.

Johnson's great problem is that, in fact, he believes in very little and is prepared to cross just about any boundary which happens to lie in his way.

That is why he has been prepared to use racist language about minorities and that is why he has decided to suspend parliament for a record period of time (in order, it is argued without irony, to secure democracy).

Most voters have common sense and can see through superficiality. Boris is rapidly falling foul of that virtue.