In the mother country, it seems, being caught in a blatant lie to Parliament is considered bad form in a PM. It likely shows a lack of the imagination necessary to talk around an uncomfortable fact rather than simply denying it.
Anyway, Johnson has been caught in a blatant line to the House of Commons: denying that he hosted parties at 10 Downing Street that violated the lockdown orders his govt was applying to, well, the common folk. He did in fact host such parties.
This carries a particular kick because of the poignant impact such orders have had upon many families. Tearing families apart, and keeping loved ones out of the rooms where patients were dying of Covid, so that last good-byes have to be said through a screen. And rather than obey such laws in the less demanding matter of refraining from parties, Boris enjoyed himself.
Until now. In coming weeks he may have to hold parties (to the extent that the next government permits them) in surroundings less historic than 10 Downing Street.
A certain photo has hurt BJ's cause. Above you see a photo of Queen Elizabeth II, sitting ALONE IN A PEW in a service mourning her late husband, Prince Philip. She looks very alone indeed, but she is obeying the rules even in deep grief.
The general sense is that if even the human embodiment of national sovereignty can obey the rules, than so can BJ and his buddies.
So in this case, contrary to a common cliche, it isn't the lie, it is the underlying offense that is doing him in. The lie is just making it easier for former friends to abandon him.
In 1867, Walter Bagehot wrote, 'We have come to regard the crown as the head of our morality.' The contrast between our present Queen's dignity, demonstrated in that photograph, and its entire absence in the prime minister, could hardly be more stark.
ReplyDeleteWe British knew full-well what we were getting when we elected Boris, and in 2019 he at least fulfilled Bagehot's distinction between the respective dignified and efficient functions of crown and executive. We were previously inclined to forgive Boris his indiscretions but the current accusations against him could hardly be better designed to destroy his hold over the national psyche.
David Cockayne, thanks for the observation. Is it true that Boris attempted a career in journalism, but wasn't sufficiently honest for it, so he went into politics? I've heard he has an uncle who is an anthropologist -- he did some story in which he needed to cite an anthropologist authority, 'quoted' his uncle. But then Unc came forward and said, "no, I've never discussed this with my nephew at all." Then he got fired from the paper and set his sights on Downing Street -- is that about right?
ReplyDeleteGiven the present condition of politics in the U.S., we have no business condescending to any other country anywhere, surely. But ... the show in the Mother Country can be amusing.