Boris Johnson's authority called into serious question over Tory MP revolt - The Yorkshire Post says

Boris Johnson’s authority within his own party must be called into serious question by the revolt, and it is a measure of how serious a problem he faces that Labour votes were needed to get the measures through the Commons.

Yet this is more than simply a political headache for Mr Johnson.

If he cannot command the support of his own MPs for actions to combat a Covid threat that could potentially overwhelm the NHS, it makes it all the more difficult to persuade the country to adhere to them wholeheartedly.

And at a moment when it is more than ever necessary to convince the unvaccinated to have their jabs – for the greater good as well as their own health – anything that undermines the national effort against Omicron is not only unwelcome, but possibly dangerous.

Mr Johnson’s difficulties could be aggravated tomorrow when the voters of North Shropshire go to the polls in a by-election, with the possibility that the hitherto safe Tory seat is lost to the Liberal Democrats.

If the Conservatives lose, it will be seen as a verdict on Mr Johnson’s premiership, and underline public disgust at last year’s Christmas party in Downing Street whilst the rest of the country was prevented from embracing loved ones.

Trust matters above all else in politics. Last night’s vote, which saw covid passports introduced, demonstrates that Mr Johnson does not command it within a substantial section of his Parliamentary party. There must now be questions about how much trust the country as a whole has in him.

But that is an issue for another day. For now, the fight against Covid must take precedence.