James Mitchinson on Boris Johnson and the need for a return to decent, honest and trustworthy politics

But, today, I feel like I want to say something, rather than write something. I want to say something about the leader of this country. A man proven time and again to be a compulsive, serial liar and, yet, presumably out of some sort of sociopathic ambition Nadhim Zahawi this morning went on national television news insisting Boris Johnson was a man of integrity!?

Why? Why would he say that? Why, when Boris Johnson stands before us all stark, birthday suit naked, would Mr Zahawi insist he adores the PM’s robes?

Let me tell you what others have said this morning - colleagues of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer:

Rishi Sunak: The public expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I realise this will now probably be my last ministerial job but I believe these standards are worth fighting for, and that is why I am resigning.

Will Quince, now former Minister for Children and Families: thank you for apologising for the lies Number 10 fed me, which I repeated on national television, thereby debasing myself of all moral integrity in the eyes of my constituents.

Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow: I feel that the public have been misled about the appointment of the former deputy chief whip. The parties at 10 Downing Street were bad enough, but the appointment of this individual and the untruthful statements about what was known is unacceptable.

Sajid Javid: I cannot in good conscience continue to serve this government. The British people expect integrity from us, but the tone you set as leader and the values represent reflect on your colleagues, and on the country. You have lost my confidence. I quit.

These are serious, deep-rooted concerns from serious politicians who have gravely serious responsibilities for so many aspects of our lives so to see Mr Zahawi indicate that he is willing to join Boris Johnson, fall into lock step with his standards and behaviours and continue to give the nation more of the same is simply not good enough. We deserve better.

For those of you about to accuse me of being a Labour stooge, I am not calling for a Labour government.

I am calling for a nation leader who holds dear the expected standards of behaviour and conduct that Britain needs. Someone who is not blind to the Emperor’s flesh but open-eyed to the realities of the current state of politics at a critical moment in all of our lives.

We do not deserve more of the same. More of the same means known sexually abusive gropers left among colleagues to prey on them at will. MP Chris Skidmore says the Prime Minister effectively led a cover up of sexual abuse.

That, anywhere, let alone at the top of Government, is criminal. It means politicians being fed lies by number 10 to force feed the nation on national TV. It means lawbreaking at the very top of Government.

More of the same means trying to re-write the rules to save the skin of corrupt colleagues caught with their fingers in the till. It means seriously considering breaking international law.

More of the same is scrapping ethics altogether after the resignation of the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser. For God’s sake, they can’t even be bothered to understand the difference between rugby league and rugby union. If they can’t be bothered to do that, why would they give a scintilla of a fig about child poverty on the Humber?

More of the same means the continuation of a strategic and policy void.

We have seen repeatedly that this Prime Minister’s closest allies are so caught up in covering their tracks, keeping tabs on the falsehoods, firefighting scandals that there is little time to focus on improving people’s lives.

I am sorry, but more of the same is just not an option, now.

We need no more of the same, thank you. Not a bit of it.

What we need is a return to decent, honest, trustworthy politics.

Lord knows we won’t always agree on ideas, intentions and actions. We won’t always agree on policy, statute and laws.

But one thing I think we do all agree on is that we have to be able to trust those who lead us and right now, today, we couldn’t trust this government less.