Carrie Johnson: puppet master of Downing Street – or easy target?

Some argue Boris Johnson's wife is pulling the strings at No 10 but others note that claims contain more than a whiff of sexism

Boris Johnson's inner circle imploded so spectacularly in recent days that only one close political confidante from the early days of No 10 remains: his wife, Carrie Johnson.

The most powerful prime ministerial spouse in recent memory, the 33-year-old Johnson has a job of her own for a wildlife charity, but multiple sources from Downing Street past and present say her influence on the prime minister's operation is undeniable.