UK government being immobilised by Boris Johnson crisis, say sources

Instead of implementing policy, ministers are spending their time defending PM

Boris Johnson's plight is leaving government in a state of near-paralysis, with key decisions delayed while No 10 focuses on defending the prime minister amid the Downing Street parties scandal, sources say.

It's not as easy to get policy through if it has to involve No 10 at the moment. I'm aware the civil servants feel it - feel the slowdown," said one frustrated aide in a Whitehall department. You just need to have things to carry on doing."