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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
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The Reader: Another day, another fiasco for Boris Johnson

The real test will come with the inquest into the Government’s handling of the pandemic

(Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

The catalogue of disasters over which Boris Johnson has presided lengthens on an almost daily basis. This latest fiasco involving Priti Patel is typical.

Patel is quite obviously guilty  of bullying her staff at the Home Office and accordingly should either resign or be sacked. The queue of ministers and MPs  lining up to support her at the behest of Johnson is a complete joke. It smacks of Republican senators condoning Trump’s modus operandi, however outlandish, simply to stay in his good books because to call him out would be to lay themselves open to a vindictive vendetta which could ruin their political careers. 

On top of this, there is the outrageous cronyism behind the Government’s procurement of PPE and the vast amounts of money paid to “middlemen” who did nothing but act as go-betweens. Another scandal to add to the growing list.

Linda Evans

Editor’s reply

Dear Linda

You make a fair point about the litany of mistakes the Government has made during pandemic. Given the unprecedented nature of the times, I’d argue some are forgiveable. But what is impossible to excuse is the number of political psychodramas that have played out against the backdrop of Covid.

Although I’ve never bought into Johnson-Trump comparisons, the real test will come with the inquest into the Government’s handling of the pandemic. I predict it will be brutally damning.  

Sophia Sleigh, Political Reporter

Will pay freeze cover MPs too?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is talking of a pay freeze for public sector workers next year because the country is short of funds after spending vast amounts on furlough and other expenses this year. Are MPs also going to have a pay freeze as they too are part of the public sector? If this occurs, will we see a freeze on council tax? Steve Caldwell

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