Boris’s new ‘masochism strategy’

How humbled is Boris Johnson by the publication of Sue Gray’s report into partygate? Speaking in the Commons chamber, the Prime Minister attempted to strike a solemn tone at the first of three events today which have been dubbed a ‘masochism strategy’ of taking pain in the chamber, a press conference and then appearing before Tory MPs at a meeting of the 1922 Committee. Johnson told MPs: ‘I am humbled and I have learned a lesson’. He went on to point out how ‘the entire senior management has changed’ including a new chief of staff, a new director of communications and a new principal private secretary.

He also tried to fix some of the issues around whether he misled parliament on what he knew about Covid breaches in 10 Downing Street. He insisted that in all statements on partygate, he had told the Commons what he ‘believed to be true’ – saying his comments had been made ‘in all sincerity’.