BORIS Johnson’s tetchy presser shows the pressure is finally getting to the PM - but don’t think that will signal a resignation.
The Prime Minister’s response to the scathing 37-page report by Sue Gray, which places him at eight out of the 15 events covered in the document, was simply faux contrition.
He began his statement to the House of Commons by claiming “full responsibility” for the events taking place in Downing Street, but a few minutes later was laying the blame at the feet of junior staff, adding he was “appalled” by their behaviour.
By his press conference at 3.30pm, Johnson was saying he had a “duty” as Prime Minister to attend working leaving events for staff and that most of the contents of the report were “news to him”.
He was visibly furious when probed for details on why Martin Reynolds, the PM’s former private secretary who organised the bring your own booze party and texted a fellow staff member to say they “seem to have got away with” drinking and partying, was being given a cushty job in the Foreign Office and is set to take up the role as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The Prime Minister hung his head and refused to be drawn on details, looking furious in his response. He also snapped at Sky’s Beth Rigby for asking a follow up question.
Johnson even put on an act as an open and honest politician, praising himself for allowing more than the nine questions he was “told” he was allowed to take, most of which were from right-wing outlets, including The Sun and GB News.
But that isn’t the reality - Johnson’s government is secretive, they are consistently forced into U-turns after being caught out and they are desperate to control the narrative. Johnson’s request, which he denies, for Gray to drop the report completely, is not outwith the bounds of reality, we all know he is capable of it.
But does the PM really think the public will believe that despite Downing Street being his home and place of work, he had no idea what was going on?
Anyone who has read the report and subsequently listened to the PM’s excuses on Wednesday would struggle to marry the two.
Families will have felt a “duty” to comfort their loved ones as they died, but didn’t. Thousands who moved jobs during lockdown will have done so without even having considered a leaving party, knowing it was simply a no-go, but not in Downing Street.
It speaks to the culture created by this government that they are above the rest of us, that the rules don’t apply, and we should swallow whatever line they deign to give us as a feeble explanation.
Staffers managed to trigger a panic button reserved for terror attacks inside Downing Street during one of these parties - and that information wasn’t shared with the Prime Minister or his team?
Johnson didn’t hear the rowdy partying outside of his flat window in the Downing Street garden which it overlooks?
He didn’t notice the wine stained walls, hear the karaoke, or spot any of the “excessive drinking”?
These are the people making the decisions that affect all of our lives - but they clock off at 4pm for “Wine Time Friday’s”, suitcases of booze were smuggled in, staff members were so drunk they were vomitting and a karaoke machine was brought in by the ethics chief.
The report reads like a student night out, not work drinks at the highest level of government - never mind that it was also in the midst of a global pandemic.
The damage has already been done by Johnson. Westminster politics is in the gutter and the PM is dragging it down further. It will erode public trust in the institutions and undoubtedly the Union.
The Cabinet, of which not one of the members has resigned over this scandal, will bet on the public getting bored of the story and the relentless media coverage. Now that the pandemic is reportedly “over”, they will be gambling that people won’t see it as big an issue any more.
But they will be proved wrong, partygate has cut through.
A snap poll from Yougov said 59% of people across the UK believe the PM should step down, of Scots alone this was 72%.
Once again Johnson’s premiership lies in the hands of Tory MPs who now seem impotent. If they had wanted to make an impact they would have forced him to resign when the allegations first emerged.
Now, Johnson’s rode it out so long he’s pretty much got away with it.
