A rather pointless PMQs lets Boris off the hook

Given the extraordinarily low expectations, Prime Minister’s Questions went reasonably well for Boris Johnson today. That is partly because it was a pointless session: everyone is waiting for the publication of the Sue Gray report, so most likely it will be forgotten very quickly and will make no difference to the main event (whenever that comes).

Johnson decided to make a forceful argument that he and the government were focused on more important things than cakes and parties. He lectured Keir Starmer for raising the matter at all when he was busy bringing the west together to threaten Russia with the toughest package of sanctions. He talked about the government trying to help people with the issues they really cared about, including the cost of living.

Starmer had, as I understand it, come to the session intending to play things pretty straight and talk about the cost of living rather than joke about cakes.