Ministers Tire Of Degrading Themselves To Save The PM

Ninety-six hours have now passed since one of Westminster’s most well-known wrong’uns did, yet again, the very wrong thing for which they are very well known, and had to resign (again).

- Tom Peck

That Chris Pincher, the now former deputy chief whip, got drunk and groped someone has shocked Westminster. Arguably it has not been this shocked since it became clear that some parties had happened in Downing Street, even though Boris Johnson said there hadn’t.

But what is causing actual shock is a growing sense that this might be the scandal that sends government ministers, both junior and senior, over the tipping point with regard to their willingness to go on television and radio and repeat their boss’s lies.

Johnson appointed Pincher deputy chief whip in February. He has since claimed to have not been “aware” of any allegations against him. This was then upgraded to “specific allegations”. Yesterday morning, the line was gently tweaked again to “specific serious allegation”. The prime minister’s spokesperson has also confirmed that Johnson is unaware of what bears do in the woods, in the sense that he has never, personally, himself trodden in any specific serious incidents of it.