In Johnson came, looking pink and cross. Up went a timid little ‘hear hear’ from a clique of loyalist Tory MPs who still believe he can turn water into wine. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who had called the whole thing a ‘kangaroo court’ was there, of course.
Johnson got steadily pinker under cross examination. He got testy when Sir Bernard Jenkin pressed him on why he didn’t understand the events he attended obviously breached the rules because all the photos show there was no social distancing.
Eventually Johnson admitted that there was ‘imperfect social distancing’ not just at Downing Street but at events he attended. That’s a direct contradiction to what he told Parliament. It proves he lied.
The committee was measured, detailed and forensic. Johnson tried to be calm too, but time and again he strained at the leash. He made snide digs at Rishi Sunak as ‘the current PM’, with the emphasis on current. He quibbled about the rules and the guidance. He joked that his officials couldn’t be expected to be surrounded by ‘invisible electric fences’.
He moaned that Downing Street is a cramped, narrow townhouse. Just tell that to the families that managed to stick to the rules in their tiny crowded flat, I thought.
He said he thought all these events were necessary for work because his staff needed to be thanked. Tell that to the doctors and nurses who were working all hours to save lives but never had a drinks do at the end of the day.
He said it was his job to say farewell to staff. Tell that to people who weren’t even allowed to say farewell to their dying loved ones.
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Often his version of events defied logic. He saw people standing next to each other but thought social distancing was being followed. At one point Harriet Harman had to burst his bubble of self-confidence. ‘But you saw people handing round drinks!’ she said. So how could he possibly think the rules and the guidance had been followed at all times?
The main thrust of his argument was ‘I’m special. The rules apply differently to me.’ Do as I say, not do as I do. Boris Johnson, the exception that writes the rules but doesn’t follow them.
But the real problem for Johnson is we all presumed that when he told MPs he had been given ‘repeated assurances’ that the rules were followed he wouldn’t have relied on the word of a single press officer mate of his. We presumed he would have checked the facts with several senior civil servants and officials before being so categorical time and again. But in truth he didn’t bother to be diligent, and his assurances were as flimsy as a used tissue.
He loves to portray himself as the poor innocent victim, but under pressure today he said that this was no witch-hunt and the committee was no kangaroo court. So let’s hope he and his mates stop attacking the committee – yes, I’m talking to you Jacob – to divert people from the fact that he lied, he was careless about the truth and he never corrected the record.
Today matters. Parliament only works if we can rely on ministers telling the truth. It’s up to the committee what to do now, but since he point-blank refused to correct the record yet again today, it’s difficult to see how he hasn’t misled Parliament. And that’s serious.
