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Jan 25 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
As the police investigate No 10 parties, Boris Johnson may already be damned in the court of public opinion

My latest in @theipaper
inews.co.uk/opinion/no-10-…
As the Met chief points to the need to uphold ‘the legitimacy of the law’, the legitimacy of the office of Prime Minister remains the bigger question
Here's the new defence from PM's spksmn for PM's birthday celebration:
"This was a brief moment, the PM was there for less than 10 mins. It was in between the PM returning from a visit and before he started another meeting. It was on the edges of a work event."
#edgesofaworkevent
Q: "Does the PM think it's permissible to break the law for 10 minutes?"
No.10 "I'm not going to pass judgement on that."
Q: "Did the PM regularly meet his interior designer at 2pm on a work day at the height of a pandemic?"
No.10: "I'm not aware who Lulu Lytle was there to meet"

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More from @paulwaugh

Paul Waugh Profile picture
Jan 27
Quite significant that Labour refusing to back new govt welfare crackdown to force ppl on Uni Credit to take any job (as opposed to job they're used to) after a month rather than 3 months.
Tactic is to paint Lab as 'soft' on welfare, but they're not buying it.
.@Alison_McGovern: “People should be supported into good jobs that match their skills, which would give them a better chance of secure work long-term.”
Are the unemployed the latest victims of @BorisJohnson's attempt to save his own job?

inews.co.uk/opinion/univer…
Read 4 tweets
Paul Waugh Profile picture
Jan 26
Jacob Rees-Mogg's general election threat risks embarrassing The Queen, @BorisJohnson - and even himself.
Here's why:

inews.co.uk/opinion/jacob-…
Rees-Mogg is well liked among party activists and many MPs admire his views on tax/spend.
But some Tory backbenchers think he's at the heart of recent unforced errors:
- Paterson blunder
- Scottish party belittled
Add in the mess of a prorogation that was later ruled unlawful, plus his own role in organising a confidence vote in Theresa May and you can see why some colleagues think the Commons leader is part of the problem.
Read 5 tweets
Paul Waugh Profile picture
Jan 25
.@grantshapps on @BBCr4today on the PM's birthday celebration in No.10 in 2020:
"I don’t want to present a defence because I would be adding speculation to speculation... I share a sense of unease about all this."
“It’s clearly unwise to do those things”, Shapps eventually says.
Notably cites @BorisJohnson's own line that he should have sent people back inside for the drinks party in the garden that summer.
Feels like the line-to-take response to this was it too was 'unwise'.
“I find it frustrating we can’t be talking about the big issues today…”

That Shapps line sounds not just like a comment on the media, but it sounds like the very reason some Tory MPs now believe @BorisJohnson's premiership is getting in the way of governing.
Read 4 tweets
Paul Waugh Profile picture
Dec 20, 2021
.@DominicRaab to @BBCr4today: "Those staff would have been working under gruelling conditions."

Suspect thousands of NHS staff who genuinely were "working under gruelling conditions" [PPE round-the-clock, staff shortages] did not have after-work drinks in workplace like No.10.
NEW: Asked about Dominic Raab’s ‘“suits you sir” defence, and his “gruelling conditions” defence, PM’s spokesman says: “I haven’t seen the specific comments from the deputy prime minister.”
Also from Lobby briefing:

Does Mrs Johnson normally attend No.10 work meetings?
No.10: “Downing Street is also a private residence. It’s effectively her garden so she’s able to use it whenever she wishes."
Read 5 tweets
Paul Waugh Profile picture
Dec 18, 2021
It's Saturday, the end of a long, long week in politics.
Catch up on it all with @theipaper Weekend, with excellent intel and analysis from @HugoGye @RichardVaughan1 @singharj @ChaplainChloe, @janemerrick23 and @katyballs Image
Includes this excellent long read on anger among Tory MPs over 'partygate', with one attacking "those elite fuckers" in Downing Street.

inews.co.uk/news/politics/…
Plus, this @katyballs temperature check on backbench next steps. One govt insiders says: "No one wants a leadership contest now – not even the people who could replace Boris”

inews.co.uk/news/analysis/…
Read 6 tweets
Paul Waugh Profile picture
Dec 16, 2021
Now @TomTugendhat has been granted an Urgent Question in the Commons demanding an explanation of this;
.@JamesCleverly tells MPs: “Internal work has taken place that has not been signed off by ministers….There will not be 10% staff cuts to the FCDO.”
Foreign Office minister Cleverly then admits “changes are inevitable" (so will it be 5% or 9%?) .."when ministers make ultimate decisions…”
Read 5 tweets

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