Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Has Putin saved Boris Johnson?

Has Putin saved Boris Johnson?

A scandal over lockdown-breaching parties is taking a backseat to the Ukraine invasion — but that could still change.

Partygate is back but the mood music in Westminster has changed — for now.

A new episode dropped Tuesday for observers following the latest season of “what’s going on in the U.K.” as the Metropolitan Police said they would issue 20 fines over social gatherings at the heart of government which breached COVID rules.

It’s the first major development since police announced they would investigate a series of parties held in Downing Street and Whitehall during various stages of pandemic lockdown.

While the politics remain volatile, in a little over a month since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine, the so-called “partygate” scandal that many Westminster watchers predicted would topple the British prime minister has been swept aside.

Several Tory MPs, critical because they hold the power to kick Johnson out as party leader and with it as prime minister, have recalculated in the face of Russian aggression and concluded now is not the time for a leadership change.

However, the decision to hand out fines puts the spotlight back on a scandal which No. 10 had been keen to forget and raises fresh questions over Johnson’s future.

Information on the penalties is limited so far, with the police saying they will not identify those who have been fined or which events the fines relate to. Civil servants may not even have to declare they have received a fine, depending on their level of security clearance, and the government is not expected to comment on any disciplinary action.

Downing Street confirmed it would not offer details on anyone involved apart from the prime minister and the head of the U.K. civil service, Simon Case.

Most Conservative MPs agree they are in a holding pattern until there’s any word on whether Johnson himself receives a fine, something that could take months. Some predict, however, that the prime minister will ride the scandal out since the situation in Ukraine has dramatically worsened.

One Tory MP who has been critical of Johnson said there is “a sense we are moving through a seismic historical event and the PM is showing the right kind of leadership at such a time. I am afraid rule-breaking drinks parties have faded in their significance.”

He added this was also the feeling among party members and local officers — significant because MPs would generally consult them before calling for Johnson to be replaced.

Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative who rescinded a letter of no confidence in Johnson, told the Daily Telegraph: “If there was a vote of confidence in the PM tomorrow I’d have to vote for him because otherwise we’d be playing into Mr Putin’s hands.”

A third MP, a member of a rebellious caucus elected in 2019, echoed this, saying it was difficult to see how the PM could be “dislodged” now.

Others suggested that relations between No. 10 and his party had improved following a backroom reshuffle last month.

Brand tarnished


War in Europe may have strengthened the prime minister’s position, but things could quickly change. A senior Conservative cautioned that nobody should assume a leadership challenge was out of the question.

James Johnson, founder of the pollster JL Partners, said the idea of a “Ukraine bounce” for the prime minister was not being reflected in public sentiment.

“Focus groups have said the same thing consistently since January — the PM’s brand has been significantly tarnished and the effects of partygate on his brand are still playing a major role,” he said. “It’s been mentioned prominently every time I ask about the government and PM — more so than Ukraine.”

Confirmation that officials in Downing Street and Whitehall did break the law also raises the possibility that the prime minister misled the House of Commons when he previously asserted no rules had been broken. Misleading the house has traditionally been considered a resigning matter.

Former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell recently told a meeting on anti-corruption: “If you get away with not telling the truth at the despatch box, that undermines all of our civil liberties, all of our human rights, and parliament in my view has to take a much tougher line.”

Johnson’s spokesman maintained Tuesday that he does not accept he had misled the House.

While he has to endure another uncomfortable instalment of prime minister’s questions Wednesday, parliament will adjourn soon afterward for a two-week Easter break. This will serve to defuse the tension at Westminster at a convenient point for Johnson, with no guidance as to when the ongoing police investigation might conclude or produce further fines.

Once again, it looks as though Johnson’s strategy for survival will depend on hanging tough and squeaking through.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
×