No 10 apologises for wrongly telling The Independent there were no parties | But Boris Johnson’s spokesman refuses to say if anyone will be disciplined for obscuring the truth
No 10 apologises for wrongly telling The Independent there were no parties | But Boris Johnson’s spokesman refuses to say if anyone will be disciplined for obscuring the truth
7 comments
>Obscuring the truth
“Lying”.
The word you are looking for is “**Lying**”
> Late last year, Boris Johnson’s official spokesman was asked how he could claim no Covid rules were broken when – at the time – no investigation was taking place.
> The Independent was told: “It’s simply just a statement of fact,” and “I’m not going to get into internal matters. As I said, guidance has been followed at all times.”
Obviously (now) he lied through his teeth.
> The spokesman also confirmed Mr Johnson was admitting he misled the Commons over the parties when he told MPs, on Wednesday, that he was “correcting the record” – but said the misleading was not intentional.
> The distinction will be crucial when the Commons privileges committee begins its inquiry, within weeks, into whether the prime minister lied to parliament.
If the privileges committee fail to conclude Johnson lied, will anyone be able to take them seriously?
You just need to look at videos of him lying to parliament about “rules followed”, then look at the photos, and read the report.
Johnson habitually retreats to claims of ignorance when challenged on his lying. It’s an instinct. You can see it in one of the most famous examples of him being caught in a barefaced lie: [claiming “there’s no press here”](https://youtu.be/ZVOV3sU8Ays?t=39) while being filmed by the press.
It continues:
> Member of public: You’re telling me there’s no press here?
> Johnson: (looks nervously at press cameras) Well … er. well.
> Member of public: There’re no press here?
> Johnson: Well, **as far as I’m aware this is not a press** [inaudible]
> Member of public: This isn’t a press opportunity?
> Johnson minder: (looks straight at press camera)
> Member of public: You didn’t invite the press here? (gestures at press) You didn’t ask them to come? (pointing at press) You don’t have a press handler back there?
> Minder: (starts to lead member of public away)
> Member of public: Ok. Well. Fine. Well in your la-la land, believe whatever you want.
All amusing enough. But the part I bolded – watch the video. It’s an instinctive move for Johnson: “oh shit, I’ve been found out; well, pretend I didn’t know”.
If you can watch that and believe that Johnson really didn’t know it was a press opportunity then Johnson would probably want you on that committee. In the real world, MPs with their own credibility on the line will have to reach a judgement as to whether Johnson’s claims of ignorance are in any way believable.
I think there’s only one conclusion to be drawn.
That silence says more than anything. We might see someone very junior thrown to the wolves but no senior politician is going to face any punishment as a result of this.
Oh, I’m sure Johnson will be disciplined very harshly.
Her name’s Miss Whiplash, and she makes regular visits to Number 10 for precisely that purpose.
The press need to ask when everyone else fined and given criminal records will be refunded and be allowed to simply apologise instead.
Maybe someone misunderstood the question and answered incorrectly like an honest mistake?
Essentially, “Sorry for lying. Now, please, continue to believe everything we say.”