Memories of lockdown sacrifices make Boris Johnson’s testimony difficult to stomach

SIR – One thought was permanently in my mind while I watched Boris Johnson being cross-examined by the privileges committee (report, March 23): had anyone been caught by the police having the kind of gatherings shown in the photographs, they would have been slapped with a £10,000 fine – as many were.

Surely it would have been wise to have cancelled gatherings at No 10 for the duration if it was so “cramped”, as Mr Johnson put it. And if it was so essential to thank a leaving employee, a one-to-one meeting between them and the prime minister would have been, in the circumstances, quite good enough. Social sacrifices were being made by everyone.

Carole Taylor

Milford, Hampshire

SIR – During the endless coverage of partygate no one, as far as I have seen, has mentioned that Boris Johnson had a sick mother whom he was unable to visit during lockdown and whose death in 2021 was very probably hastened by loneliness.

Mr Johnson himself would never resort to bringing his own family into the argument.

Miriam Gross London W2

SIR – When I listened to Mr Johnson giving his evidence, I was reminded of an observation by his late first motherin-law, Gaia Servadio, which was quoted in her Telegraph obituary. She said: “For him the truth does not exist”. Blanaid Walker

Witney, Oxfordshire

SIR – The biggest takeaway from the partygate fiasco is that all those involved in breaking the rules knew perfectly well that they were unnecessary and that no one attending the gatherings was in any great danger.

It would have been much better for all of us if common sense had been applied and the lockdown, maskwearing and social-distancing rules scrapped long before Boris Johnson and his associates could break them. Charlie Leech

Twickenham, Middlesex