So much swept under the carpet, no wonder No 10 cleaners are annoyed

IN typical style the Prime Minister, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (known to his family as Al) has sought to hide from proper scrutiny by weakening the Ministerial Code, seemingly so that ministers can lie to Parliament and not have to resign.

No careful consideration of the long-term consequences of the changes in the code, just the usual panicked attempt to protect his own skin.

Mr Johnson, desperate to protect his incompetent and often corrupt government from investigation, has already attempted to curtail Freedom of Information requests from journalists and lawyers, and to limited judicial reviews of their actions.

The impact of all these shenanigans is to make MPS, the press and media increasingly uncertain and wary about the reliability of the information coming from Tory government ministers, both in Parliament and elsewhere. It further undermines the credibility of that government.

Parliament, when making laws, will have to make decisions and vote based on recommendations from ministers that may well be flawed and inaccurate. The resulting legislation from such inaccuracies, perhaps even lies, will go to the Queen to be made law. It will not be the first time that Johnson has lied to the Queen.

More immediately significant, it suggests that Mr Johnson knows he lied to Parliament about the drunken and noisy parties at Downing Street and is fearful that his lies are going to trap him into resignation.

Interestingly all reference to honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability have been removed from the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

This immediately places a sinister shadow over the whole government, fuelling the assumption that one now cannot trust the word of any of them.

Does this mean they will all abdicate the use of the title Right Honourable in future? Surely there cannot be honour without honesty and integrity?

The Government could have tried much harder to be accurate and truthful, to act with honesty and integrity and be transparent and accountable. But instead Mr Johnson has gone for cover-up and deception, distraction and lies.

No wonder the Downing Street cleaners are so annoyed, its carpets must be extremely bumpy and lumpy with so much being swept under them.

Pete Milory.