SettleOnSunday

Boris really does think he might survive

PARTYGATE is becoming another long-running Whitehall farce but the only people laughing, at the moment, are

Boris Johnson and his loyal band of true believers.

The latest episode in the political soap opera underscores how Westminster can sometimes be not only the theatre of the absurd but also the anti-climax.

Let’s recap. Since November,

Scotland Yard has faced calls to probe partygate but huffed that it didn’t do retrospective investigations. As outrage was expressed, it puffed there was simply not enough evidence despite the opposite being has served in Afghanistan and glaringly the case. Iraq, made clear it was “up to all

It was only when Whitehall of us to put ourselves forward” bloodhound Sue Gray, who has and stressed anyone who could for weeks been sharing get enough support from information with the police, had colleagues should “go for it”. finished her inquiry and was Such has been the about to pop it on Boris’s desk, nervousness within Cabinet, first that Cressida Dick, the Jacob Rees-Mogg and then Metropolitan Commissioner, Nadine Dorries popped up this chose that moment, on Tuesday, week to wrongly insist if Boris to mention she had after all went there would have to be a decided to order an General Election. investigation. It may well be that a newly

To pile disbelief on top of The police probe raises the experts are unhappy too. Lord installed prime minister might frustration, having suggested prospect that it could be weeks, Macdonald, England’s former call an election to seek their own there was nothing whatsoever to if not months, before the full director of public prosecutions, mandate but, constitutionally, it stop Gray publishing her report, Gray report emerges by which said the Met’s move seemed is not required.

72 hours later WPC Plod insisted time its impact will have been “disproportionate” in the face of What Rees-Mogg and Dorries she would rather the mandarin severely diminished – much, no “very powerful” public interest in were doing is putting the have “minimal reference” to all doubt, to the PM’s delight. the Gray report’s swift frighteners on wavering Tory the damning bits, so the force Such is the whiff of a large publication. colleagues, warning them that, in could make its own inquiries rodent now hanging over the And then there are those who the aftermath of a Johnson without prejudice. partygate process that have lost loved ones to Covid. defenestration, they would be

Then, on Friday evening, the opposition politicians are Fran Hall, whose husband forced to defend their seats. So, Met issued yet another beginning to sniff a top-level served in the police for more better to keep the PM in post statement, insisting it had not “stitch-up” between the Met and than three decades before dying and not risk losing them. delayed the Gray report, adding: Number 10. with coronavirus, accused The thinking in Downing Street “The timing of its release is a Tory backbenchers are not Scotland Yard of letting is: the longer the PM can string matter for the Cabinet Office happy either. Sir Christopher bereaved families down as the this out, the greater the chance inquiry team.” Chope accused the force of Gray inquiry became “a circus”. he has of surviving. From his

The Keystone Kops couldn’t “usurping its position by seeking Downing Street has proffered perspective, Johnson is banking have made a worse fist of this. to interfere in the affairs of state” the “nothing-to-do-with-me-guv” on enough voters will believe One has to feel sorry for Gray, and pointed out, because defence, insisting it hadn’t had turning the economy around will who looks set to hand over a criminal charges were not any conversations with the Met trump any qualms people have heavily-redacted report – minus imminent, then the matter was or the Cabinet Office over what about his lack of personal the damning bits – with Boris not sub judice. “That’s why this could or could not be published. integrity. making his Commons statement is an abuse of power by the The Cabinet Office, of course, After weeks of unnerving next week. Metropolitan Police,” he with more than 2,000 staff, turbulence, the Save Big Dog

One Tory MP branded declared. serves the PM. team is feeling chipper. One Scotland Yard a “broken The argument is, given the As the internal party pressure Cabinet minister told The Times organisation” and claimed political importance of on him mounts over whether to the Met’s decision meant the PM fears the Gray report would the Gray report to scrap or not to scrap the was now “out of the danger look like a whitewash the national planned National Insurance rise, zone” while another admirer were down to the force’s interest, it trumps one backbench Tory MP has said: “We feel the support is “incompetence”. any police inquiry broken cover to throw his hat in growing on a daily basis. There

Of course, whenever that would, at the ring should Johnson be is a confidence 54 won’t even be the police reporthit.”isworst,endupwithditchedinano-confidencevote. published,Witwill not a few Downing Backbencher Tom Tugendhat, include as much detail as Street insiders who chairs the Commons

Gray’s full version as we being fined. Publish Foreign Affairs Committee, has are dealing here, in criminal and be damned is been critical of the Government’s justice terms, with the cry. handling of the withdrawal from misdemeanours Some Afghanistan. Some Conservative that would legal MPs believe he is the party’s warrant only “best chance for a fresh start”. fines. The former soldier, 48, who

ith plans for a swift Downing Street shake-up, a high-profile diplomatic trip to eastern Europe next week to stop Ukraine descending into war and the Levelling-Up White Paper due soon, Boris is beginning to believe: “Crikey, I can survive this.”

Opposition politicians are beginning to sniff a top-level ‘stitch-up’ between the Met and Number 10