A day after the House of Commons privileges committee found that Boris Johnson deliberately misled parliament over Partygate, the UK newspaper front pages offer a mostly damning verdict of the former prime minister’s behaviour – with some notable exceptions.
The Guardian sums up “The verdict on Johnson”, saying he “Misled parliament”, “Undermined Democracy” and was “Complicit in abuse of MPs”.
The paper notes that the former PM would have been faced with a “90-day suspension had he not quit”.
Guardian front page, Friday 16 June 2023: The verdict on Johnson pic.twitter.com/e9wOf2ugAe
— The Guardian (@guardian) June 15, 2023
The Financial Times reports “Johnson’s repeated lies to MPs condemned in searing report”.
On its front page, the paper quotes directly from the report saying “He [deliberately] misled the House on an issue of the greatest importance … and did so repeatedly”.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Friday June 16 https://t.co/oADFTGoAu7 pic.twitter.com/zu32afpNmG
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) June 15, 2023
The Times describes it as the “End of the road for Johnson”. After holding parliament in contempt “five times”, the paper quotes allies of prime minister Rishi Sunak as saying that Boris Johnson’s “political career is over”.
Friday's Times: End of the road for Johnson #TomorrowsPapersToday #TheTimes #Times pic.twitter.com/AwcHWTVUg0
— Tomorrows Papers Today (@TmorrowsPapers) June 15, 2023
The Metro isn’t as definitive, asking “Is proper whopper a career stopper?”
The paper notes that Johnson has described the findings as “deranged”, “tripe” and “a lie”.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
— Metro (@MetroUK) June 15, 2023
IS PROPER WHOPPER A CAREER STOPPER?
🔴 Partygate report bashes Boris#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/BiKSNJsd8o
The Telegraph – Johnson’s former employer – notes that that he could become “the first former prime minister to be held in contempt of the Commons for misleading MPs”.
For that to happen though, MPs first have to vote on whether to accept the findings of the report. The paper says that even Johnson’s allies expect the vote to pass on Monday: “Just seven of the 352 Tory MPs yesterday publicly indicated they would vote against”.
But, as the paper’s headline notes, “Johnson allies vow to oust MPs who vote for his censure”.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 15, 2023
Johnson allies vow to oust MPs who vote for his censure#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/4SLW1YN78H
The Mail also leads on the so-called “Tory revolt over ‘vindictive’ bid to banish Boris”.
The paper says MPs and grassroots activists were “left furious” after the committee called for Johnson to be “permanently denied the Commons pass offered to all former MPs, effectively barring him from the parliamentary estate.”
Friday's Mail: Tory Revolt Over 'Vindictive' Bid To Banish Boris #TomorrowsPapersToday #DailyMail #Mail pic.twitter.com/o0NT8nwzTc
— Tomorrows Papers Today (@TmorrowsPapers) June 15, 2023
Under the headline “The most spiteful stitch-up in history of politics”, the Express offers up an editorial on its front page.
“Boris Johnson has been hounded from Parliament by a spiteful Westminster machine that loathes him”, it reads.
Friday's Express: The Most Spiteful Stitch-Up In History Of Politics #TomorrowsPapersToday #DailyExpress #Express pic.twitter.com/x3BPT7c62u
— Tomorrows Papers Today (@TmorrowsPapers) June 15, 2023
The Mirror appears to have pre-empted some of these attack lines: its front page reads “He’ll tell you it’s a witch-hunt… He’ll tell you it’s democracy betrayed… He’ll tell you he did nothing wrong… But just one word tells his story… Liar”.
Friday's front page: Judgement day for Borishttps://t.co/k3j9kZuI7g#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/hfKasttU1v
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 15, 2023
The Yorkshire Post goes for a simpler “Liar, Liar” on its front page, calling the report a “Historic triumph for Parliamentary democracy”.
Yorkshire Post: Liar, Liar #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/nnsiiMxUBU
— George Mann 🫧⚒️🫧 (@sgfmann) June 15, 2023
Scottish paper, The National, repeats the quotes the Scottish Tory leader on its front page as saying, “‘Boris is a truthful man’”.
The paper says Douglas Ross’s words have “come back to haunt him as damning committee findings are published”.
Tomorrow's front page 📰 Douglas Ross's words come back to haunt him as damning committee findings are published pic.twitter.com/aJJZIMrQkF
— The National (@ScotNational) June 15, 2023
Finally, splashing with a particularly forlorn-looking picture of the former prime minister, the i says “He lied and lied and lied”.
The paper quotes from the report, saying some of Johnson’s evidence was “so disingenuous” it showed “deliberate attempts to mislead”.
The i: He lied, and lied, and lied. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/MELv7bKsK2
— George Mann 🫧⚒️🫧 (@sgfmann) June 15, 2023
