Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Politics
Graham Russell

‘Party’s over, Boris’: what the UK papers say about Johnson’s Partygate resignation

Boris Johnson ​​Rishi Sunak Partygate (Event) United Kingdom George Mann Daily Record National Sun
composite of uk newspaper front pages about Boris Johnson's resignation as MP
Boris Johnson’s resignation as MP over the Partygate report into his conduct during the Covid pandemic dominated Saturday’s newspaper front pages. Composite: i weekend/The Sun/Daily Mail/Daily Record/The Times

Boris Johnson’s departure from life as an MP ahead of the publication of the Partygate report plays out across Saturday’s front pages, which are filled with a mixture of acrimony, triumph and predictions of further “Tory bloodletting”.

The Guardian focuses on the reason for his decision to resign as MP, noting that the privileges committee found he misled parliament and recommended a lengthy suspension from the House of Commons. It finds a spot lower down for the reaction to Rishi Sunak approving Johnson’s honours list, regarded as rewarding those involved in the Partygate scandal.

The Times is among a few that go with the “party’s over” angle in their headline. It gives its main picture to a Johnson ally, Donald Trump, who is facing his own troubles over the retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home.

The Daily Record says: “Party’s over, Boris”, and says he resigned over a “damning Partygate probe report into his lockdown antics”. It says he refused to take blame for his own downfall.

The Telegraph plays it relatively straight with the headline “Johnson quits as MP over Partygate” but notes his accusations of a “kangaroo court” and biased investigation in its subhead and intro.

The Daily Mail gives full prominence to Johnson’s version of events with the headline: “Boris: I’ve been forced out by a witch-hunt” and lists out his grievances in a series of bullet points. It notes the “prospect of a fresh round of Tory bloodletting”.

The Daily Express, a longtime and vocal Johnson supporter, says “Boris quits! ‘Kangaroo court forces me out’”. Its tweet foreshadows a “Tory civil war”, which could create a fresh headache for Sunak.

The Daily Mirror says “Johnson quits over Partygate” and calls him variously a “shamed ex-PM” and “deluded Tory”, questioning his assertion that he has been forced out.

The Sun has “Bojo: I quit” and reports that Sunak now faces a “knife-edge by-election”.

The i casts it as Johnson v Sunak, with the headline “Boris Johnson declares war on Sunak as he quits Parliament”. It notes the former PM’s attack on Sunak’s policies and handling of the post-Brexit era, and his leaving open the possibility of an attempt at returning to politics.

The National has perhaps the most pointed front page, with a brooding picture of Johnson, and the headline: “Arrogant to the end.”

The Financial Times gives Johnson a slot further down its front page, with the headline: “Johnson blames ‘partygate’ inquiry as he quits as MP and trigger by-election.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Netflix’s most popular K-drama in 2024 wasn't Squid Game season 2, it was this show with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
Squid Game season 2 was beaten on Netflix by another K-drama that's popular with viewers and critics alike
Total Film
Total Film
My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar’s cause of death ruled as undetermined
According to an autopsy report following the rocker’s November 2024 passing, the cause of death of late My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar has been ruled as undetermined.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
McDonald’s reveals celebrities’ morning-after breakfast orders following the Oscars
Some of the celebrities included in the McDonalds orders are Colman Domingo, Kieran Culkin, and Keke Palmer
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Meghan tells of ‘learning curve’ and finding herself ahead of new Netflix series
The duchess has given an interview to People magazine in which she admits there have been ‘tons of twists and turns’ with her new venture.
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Carnival Cruise Line makes another ban very clear
The cruise line has very strict rules for what can be brought on its ships.
The Street
The Street
Protein popularity surge among Gen Zs sparks demand for cottage cheese and chicken
A national survey of 2,200 people by Savanta for Ocado Retail found nearly half of UK adults increased their protein intake in the past year, but that rose to two-thirds of all people aged 16 to 34
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play