Boris Johnson's Wallpaper Is a Gamble on Britain's Class Divisions

Trust the British to turn a tale of political sleaze into a story about class and the price of expensive furnishings. But the recent shenanigans in the ruling Conservative Party reveal a lot about the ruling elite in British politics: As in the U.S., it now routinely aspires to the wealth, luxury and lifestyle of the global superrich. The gulf between the top 5% and the rest has never looked so wide, nor been so apparent in everything from vacation choices to home decorations. For the leader of a country, that can be hard to accept.

Hence the lack of real surprise at Boris Johnson’s latest spot of bother. He’s been accused of underhand ways of funding an up-do of No. 10 Downing Street and a lack of transparency over what happened when a party donor was asked to help with an expensive overrun in his redecorating bill. The prime minister believes the British public is unfussed by this “cash for curtains” scandal, but class is dangerous territory in the U.K. — even for someone as gifted as Johnson at bridging the divide.