The highly respected German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote a very damning litany of our Prime Minister’s disrespect for his office and the values of public service. Johnson’s scandals are all described in detail.
They start with Johnson’s trip with his partner to the Caribbean island of Mustique for new year 2019-20 funded by some thankful supporter.
Then there was the payment for the renovation of his Downing Street residence which was not properly accounted for, as were the costs for a nanny for son Wilfred.
Spring 2020 saw Johnson support Dominic Cummings’ flouting of the rules on his trip to Barnard Castle.
Later in 2020 Johnson was reported to have described lockdowns as madness and to have said to
“… let the bodies pile high …”
In summer 2020, when thousands of Afghans were trying to flee the country, Foreign Office emails showed that Johnson authorised the airlift of 150 cats and dogs.
In May 2021 when personal contact was severely restricted, Johnson forgave Health Minister Matt Hancock for being caught kissing his assistant on camera. Only public anger forced Hancock to resign.
In late 2021 Johnson tried to protect his faithful supporter Owen Paterson MP from being suspended by changing the parliamentary rules. Again public outcry rendered this ploy unsuccessful and Paterson’s seat was lost to the LibDems.
At the COP26 Climate Conference Johnson sat without a mask next to 96 year David Attenborough, who was of course wearing a mask. Johnson’s disrespect for Coronavirus transmission was also evident when he visited a hospital in Northumberland and refused to wear a mask despite three requests from staff.
Around that time Johnson made what is considered to be his worst gaffe. Speaking to businessmen in the North East, Johnson recommended Peppa Pig World as an exemplary business and then appeared to lose his place, rummaging through his papers for an embarrassing 30 seconds.
Then there were the series of Partygate episodes, starting with the ‘bring your own booze’ party in May 2020 which Johnson initially described as a work meeting but later admitted it may have broken the rules. This was followed by Johnson’s birthday party in June 2020 with cake and speeches. Worst still was the party in April 2021 the day before Prince Philip’s funeral for which Johnson must have had to apologise to the mourning Queen.
The Sue Gray inquiry on Partygate was prevented from publishing when the Metropolitan Police decided to investigate the partying and so, after 126 fines had been issued to 83 people, including a single fine to Johnson himself, the full Sue Gray Report was produced. Finally ITV News published photographs of Johnson at Lee Cain’s farewell party in November 2020 glass in hand.
The German press and public cannot understand how a Prime Minister with so many mistakes and misdemeanours to his name can remain in office but he’s still there!
If you can read German, here’s a link to the full article.
