Something unusual happened in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 12 January 2022. Just before Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), an uncharacteristically contrite Prime Minister apologised to the nation for attending a food and drinks party in the garden behind No.10 Downing Street on 20 May 2020, in violation of national lockdown restrictions. He recognised that the British public thought “that in Downing Street itself the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules”. But he then qualified his apology, stating that he had only attended for 25 minutes, and that too in the belief that it was a “work event”, being held in what was after all “an extension of the office”. His present discomfiture can be traced back to an email sent out by Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, on 20 May 2020, in which he invited around a hundred members of the No 10 Downing Street staff to a “socially distanced drinks” event, with invitees required to “bring your own booze”.
During the PMQs that followed, and while responding to a stinging rebuke from Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, Mr. Johnson repeated his fulsome apologies and respectfully advised his adversary to wait for the lockdown party report being prepared by senior civil servant Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office. He was then reminded of the resignations of the Health Secretary and his own Press Secretary for failing to comply with lockdown restrictions, and also described as “a man without shame”. Starmer also talked about members of the public who had their freedoms restricted under the lockdown, just as Johnson and his team were out partying. Another member of the House referred to Mr. Johnson’s track record of “lying”, mentioning previous dismissals from jobs because of a tendency to stray from the truth. The proceedings were most unusual for the absence of the usual lusty and full-throated cheers from Conservative MPs, who mostly remained silent and stony-faced, and also for the frequent apologies from the prime minister himself.
PMQs are a well-established part of the British parliamentary schedule, dating back to 1961. Originally held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for 15 minutes on each day, PMQs were converted into a single mid-day 30-minute session, each Wednesday, from 1997 onward. For some previous prime ministers, PMQs were reportedly the most daunting parliamentary events of their time at the helm. But not so for Mr Johnson, who has demonstrated considerable skill and adeptness in dealing, or not dealing, with questions that come his way. But even as he has displayed his considerable batting skills, he has had, on occasion, to be reminded by the Speaker of the House to play by the rule book. There can be no denying, however, that Mr Johnson has perfected the skills of either ignoring the question altogether and straying along another path, or at times even turning the tables and interrogating his questioner instead.
There have been many calls for Johnson’s resignation following the disclosure of his actions in May 2020, not only from the opposition, which is to be expected, but also from members of his own party. Public outrage over perceived double standards in government is reflected in recent negative opinion polls, which merely reflect the public mood of the day and are liable to change at short notice. It is the state of play of power politics within the Conservative Party that will ultimately decide Mr. Johnson’s fate, and in these unprecedented times nothing can be certain until it actually happens.
Ashis Banerjee