Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Many of Wednesday’s front pages lead with Boris Johnson’s appearance before the Commons privileges committee this afternoon. The former prime minister will appear before the committee for a grilling over whether he misled Parliament.
At 14.00 GMT on Wednesday, the committee will get its chance to question him live on TV, in a hearing that could last several hours.
Yesterday, Johnson published a dossier laying out his defence.
The Times reports that whilst Mr Johnson was Prime Minister, one of his most senior advisers warned him that it was not “realistic” to say that coronavirus guidance had been followed in Downing Street “at all times”. According to the paper, half an hour later, Mr Johnson told the Commons it had been observed.
The i suggests it’s “D day” for Mr Johnson. However, it says a comeback by him may be supported by some ministers if he survives the committee’s report. His supporters believe that he would still have a “big role to play” in the future of the Conservative Party.
The Daily Mail’s headline is “Bullish Boris up for the fight”. The Guardian believes the stakes could not be higher – and Mr Johnson faces a battle for his political future.
In its editorial, The Daily Telegraph takes a broader view. It argues that for him to admit the rules were broken – while acknowledging no one realised this was the case – raises a serious question: why were the rest of us expected to follow them?
The Mirror has a front-page mock-up of a schoolboy-style handwritten list of excuses from the former Prime Minister. Number one is: “It was my birthday, and I didn’t even get cake.”
Metro paraphrases Mr Johnson’s defence as: “They weren’t proper whoppers.”