A series of gaffes by the UK Prime Minister may have damaged his ability to lead, as he battles growing unrest in his party.
Many Conservative backbenchers were angered by the prime minister.
One of the Conservative MPs told Insider that they had been through a rough three or four weeks. The party's troubles were talked about by the MP.
A lot of that was goals, not fundamental. That's the interesting thing about it.
The party leaders told the MPs to vote against Johnson's social-care plans, despite strict instructions.
The plans were changed at the last minute. They passed through parliament with a small margin of 26 votes.
The debacle has been seen as further evidence of a lack of forward-planning or a sense of imminent political danger.
The failure is a basic organization according to a professor at King's College London.
One of the things that has been striking is the way in which the amendments to social care legislation were sprung on backbenchers at the last minute.
It gives the impression of being a chaotic Number 10 where there isn't enough advance planning, there isn't enough time spent talking to backbenchers about what's going on, and so on.
The MP Insider said that they were frustrated with Number 10 and not the whips or the Leader of the House who are involved in managing votes.
"Boris needs something around him that compensates for what he is like as a character so we don't have that right now," they said.
Number 10 needed basic management, organisation, looking ahead at the pitfalls that are coming down the road, and the tricky decisions that will have to be made.
Conservative MPs are angry about recent political gaffes, particularly the attempt to save Owen Paterson from suspension while trying to rip up Commons discipline rules.
The move resulted in the resignation of Paterson, multiple apologies from ministers, and a dramatic U-turn when it became clear how unpopular the moves were.
Christian Wakeford admitted this week that he had called Paterson a "Cunt" during the voting process, and told Times Radio that his language was a sign of the anger in the party.
Not everyone agrees. The Member of Parliament who spoke to Insider downplayed the seriousness of recent events. He said that he had seen "mini-crises" like this before, and that the MPs left the chamber with confidence.
Conservative discontent is not enough for any of Johnson's political rivals to mount a leadership challenge. The question is whether his political fortunes are better or worse. Part of that will depend on how Johnson's government fares against Labour.
The polls in November suggested that Labour gained ground on the Conservatives, with some polls putting them ahead of the Conservatives.
A sluggish economy next year and beyond could cost the Conservatives their reputation as the party best-trusted to manage the economy, according to a senior research manager for the pollster Opinium.
A Conservative party that is seen as economically incompetent is not anelectable Conservative party. They're not going to win unless they're seen as economically competent.
The Conservative party may lose the political narrative to Labour and never regain it, according to the MP who described the government's recent weeks as "torrid". "That is a danger," they said.
The damage from Johnson's recent gaffes may not be with the public, but with his backbenchers.
Menon said that Johnson needs to pay more attention to his backbenchers. "Sit in the tea-rooms and talk to the MPs and listen to their concerns."
