Boris Johnson humiliated by Sue Gray and Theresa May over ‘partygate’ and claim that he did not read or understand his lockdown laws – The Yorkshire Post says

The shameful double standards she confirmed are made even more inexcusable by how she was effectively prevented from revealing the whole truth by the current police inquiry – and which Mr Johnson is, incredibly, now using to justify his refusal to resign.

As Sue Gray’s report emerges, why Boris Johnson will never be forgiven for ‘partygate’ lies – Tom Richmond

As such, it defies belief that so many of the Prime Minister’s MPs still remain supportive of a leader whose behaviour has showed contempt for the personal sacrifices made by every family in the pandemic.

What levelling up should mean in cost of living crisis if Boris Johnson to recover from partygate – Robert Halfon

Have they lost sight of the integrity that this country expects from its occupants of 10 Downing Street rather than Mr Johnson’s bluster when his maligned predecessor, Theresa May, suggested the PM had not read the rules, understood the rules or thought they didn’t apply to him?

Not only is a gathering in the PM’s own flat now one of 12 events being investigated by the police – Mr Johnson repeatedly declined to answer when asked if he was present on the night in question – but Ms Gray is already convinced that some behaviour was “difficult to justify”. She says the “excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time” before revealing some staff felt “unable to report” lockdown breaches.

And, to those who contend that Mr Johnson and his inner circle deserve leniency because of Covid’s unique circumstances, Ms Gray totally debunks that defence. “Those challenges, however, also applied to key and frontline workers across the country who were working under equally, if not more, demanding conditions, often at risk to their own health,” she concluded.

“It is important to remember the stringency of the public health regulations in force in England over the relevant periods and that criminal sanctions were applied to many found to be in breach of them. The hardship under which citizens across the country worked, lived and sadly even died while observing the Government’s regulations and guidance rigorously are known only too well.”

It is this egregious disregard for the personal and, invariably, heartbreaking sacrifices made by the public, all while Britain’s rule-makers behaved as rule-breakers, that appear to represent an irreversible breakdown of trust between Mr Johnson and the country that he purports to lead.

Not even his renewed apology to the Commons, blitz of policy announcements and desire to “fix” the leadership failings set out by Ms Gray by creating a new Office of the Prime Minister suffice. For, while Mr Johnson and his more subservient MPs want to move on, in the hope that the electorate is either forgiving, forgetful or both, the resulting vacuum makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the PM and his government to maintain any kind of pretence of ‘business as normal’.

And if Mr Johnson is being truthful when he says that he understands “the anger that people feel”, he will step aside before he brings his office, his government, his party and his own sullied reputation into further disrepute.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app, receive exclusive members-only offers and access to all premium content and columns. Click here to subscribe.