It is time for our MP to come off the fence over Boris

The long awaited publication of Sue Gray’s report into multiple social gatherings in No.10 which flagrantly breached the rules intended to curtail the spread of Covid19 - and which were enforced strictly throughout the UK generally - concluded that the widespread disregard for, and abuse of, those rules was attributable to a serious failure of leadership at the very top of our government.

This brings to an end the period of grace claimed by many Conservative MPs - including our own - who said it was only proper to reserve their judgement until a full investigation had been conducted and the facts known.

The relevant facts, or at least some of them, are now sufficiently well known and the Prime Minister has assumed “full responsibility” for his failings and presumably for his repeated attempts to mislead both Parliament and the press over the issue. Many will feel that this is a meaningless form of words when he goes on to declare his intention to carry on regardless in his present role.

He claims to be “humbled” by the experience but, again, most observers have seen little evidence of humility in his demeanour - just more of his customary bumbling arrogance.

It is high time, then, for Dr Evans and many of his colleagues to come off the fence and commit to either principled morality or the double standards of their current leader. Excuses about the cost of living crisis or Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine are totally irrelevant.

I am sure that I am not alone amongst long-time Tory supporters whose vote is at stake if he fails this test.

A.Y., Burbage