Andy Richardson: 'One rule for them and one rule for us'
In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern staged a press conference that was interrupted by an earthquake. She laughed as the building shook, then continued. Perhaps we could borrow her, just for a week?
In contrast, in the UK, our Prime Minister and his core team – Raab, Gove, Sunak and Hancock – have been socially distancing themselves from their backbones.
The Dominic Cummings affair has revealed a series of unpalatable truths: most pointedly, there is one rule for them and one rule for us.
While the families of those who have died in care homes were unable to say goodbye to loved ones, while grandparents have sacrificed visits from family, while NHS workers have risked their lives, Super Dom has hit the road.
The idea that the most powerful man in Whitehall couldn’t find local childcare is, of course, laughable.
Still, at least we now know who the real Prime Minister is: step forward, Super Dom, a man whose party rails against unelected bureaucrats – oh, hang on, he’s an unelected bureaucrat.
While the police have dished out fines to those making unnecessary trips, the PM’s enforcer-in-chief has skipped out of Downing Street with a smile.
Like a kid tapped on the wrist and told not to do it again, he’s got away with his 500-mile round trips.
BoJo frames himself as a latter-day Churchill. And, indeed, he has much in common with the nodding dog that has been used by the popular insurance company since 1996.
Is it OK for Super Dom to go to Durham? ‘Oh yes.’ Is it OK for Super Dom to keep his job, though others face losing their jobs for less? ‘Oh yes.’ Do you really think the public won’t see through your duplicity and hypocrisy? ‘Oh yes.’
Even the Civil Service took to Twitter to complain: ‘Arrogant and offensive. Can you imagine having to work with these truth twisters?’
Though BoJo has many similarities with that Churchill, he has few with Sir Winston.
Journalists revealed the news about Super Dom, prompting Shrewsbury’s Daniel Kawczynski to take to Twitter, saying: “The mind-blowing inaccuracies peddled by the Independent Newspaper on this subject give a new meaning to fake news.”
The story was broken by The Guardian and The Mirror.
