Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Thursday’s front pages are dominated by the fallout from the publication of Sue Gray’s investigation into No 10 parties during lockdown. Newspapers that have historically supported Boris Johnson’s government – Daily Express, Daily Mail and the Sun tell their readers it’s now time to move on from Partygate and downplay the report. On the other side of the political spectrum, left-leaning papers pick up on comments of ‘failure of leadership’ from the report and call for the PM to resign.
Sue Gray report – fallout from Partygate
The Sun’s front page tells the PM to put Partygate behind him and focus on what “really” matters – the rise in prices. The paper says the self-inflicted scandal has been a distraction for months and it’s vital the PM moves on.
The Daily Express’s headline reads: “Really… is this what all the fuss is about?” The paper says at least £450,000 of taxpayers’ cash went into the investigation, adding: “Westminster’s witchfinder generals need to ask themselves, what did it really achieve?”
The Daily Mail says that for months the PM’s enemies “salivated at the prospect of Sue Gray skewering him”, yet, it says, after the report’s photos of him with juice and M&S sandwiches, they must be asking: “Is that it?’
However, the Guardian leads with: “Drinking, fights, vomiting: All in a day’s work.”
The Daily Mirror says that “while we were sacrificing and mourning”, they were “laughing at security guards, laughing at cleaners, laughing at us all”. The paper quotes a Tory MP saying “he thinks he’s got away with it. But the public who obeyed the rules will not forget this.”
The Daily Star says the PM has no shame. Whilst The Times says the PM was defiant and claims he was “vindicated” – despite what the paper describes as a damning report that laid bare the culture of rule-breaking.
The Financial Times says the PM’s insistence he didn’t knowingly mislead parliament stretches credulity and he has shown it the same disrespect as he has the British people. The paper says he is “unfit to lead.”
The Daily Telegraph calls for the PM to show he can still be a strong leader and that his government is competent. The paper focuses on the news that every household in the country is to get an energy rebate (which they won’t have to pay back) – a policy to help divert attention away from Partygate.