Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Most of Friday’s front pages lead with the findings from the Privileges Committee investigation into whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament over rule-breaking in Downing Street. The report accuses the former PM of numerous breaches and says he intentionally misled the House over Partygate. The committee says it would have suspended Johnson for 90 days if he had not quit as an MP last week.
Tributes are paid to the late Glenda Jackson, who died at the age of 87. The papers describe her as a “fearless actor and politician.”
‘End of the road for Boris Johnson’
The Times leads with the report, calling it the “end of the road for Johnson.” The paper quotes allies of Rishi Sunak who call time on Johnson’s political career. “He’s yesterday’s game now,” one senior supporter of the prime minister is reported as saying.
The Financial Times wonders if it’s the end of Johnon’s political career. The paper calls the report “damning” and a “searing indictment of Mr Johnson’s conduct”. The Metro playfully headlines the story as a “career stopper.”
The Telegraph concludes the report is a serious “dent” in his hope for a comeback – although he isn’t giving up on politics. The paper also reports Johnson’s allies have threatened to oust Tories who vote for the findings on Monday. It quotes Nadine Dorries as saying that “deselections may follow” for MPs who vote through the report. The paper says just seven of the 352 Tory MPs have actually publicly stated they will vote against it.
The Mirror says the word “Liar” now sums up Johnson’s story. The Guardian leads with a dramatic image of Johnson and quotes the committee’s findings that Johnson “undermined democracy,” the i says “He lied, and lied and lied,” and the Financial Times says he “repeatedly lied to MPs.” The Daily Mail and Express take a different tone. The Mail says Tories “erupted in fury” at the findings, with Johnson’s allies branding the panel “vindictive” and “spiteful”. The paper believes the fallout could prompt a fresh round of Tory “bloodletting” – just as PM Sunak is trying to restore calm. The Express says Johnson has been “hounded” from Parliament. The paper says mediocre MPs are determined to destroy his career.