PMQs: Boris Johnson asks the public, would they rather a lawyer or a liar?

Setting out his case methodically, former director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer began by asking Boris Johnson to confirm that the ministerial code applies to him (“of course,” Johnson replied) before the Labour leader reminded MPs how the Prime Minister had told parliament that “all guidance was followed” and that he had been “repeatedly assured” that there were no parties. Misleading parliament is a breach of the code – a resigning offence. The Labour leader arrived at the logical conclusion: since the Prime Minister has indeed confirmed the code applies to him, and clearly misled MPs, will he not therefore step down?

Johnson said he could not comment on the police investigation into allegations of Covid rule-breaking parties. Instead, the Prime Minister launched into the things he says his government is doing – outside of party time, clearly: “delivering Brexit”, the vaccine rollout and ‘levelling up’. “He wants me out of the way because he knows this government can be trusted to deliver,” Johnson told MPs. He was talking more to his backbenchers than the opposition leader today. He urged his Tory colleagues to remember why he became party leader in the first place, and how he delivered an 80-seat majority. “We’re – and in particular I’m – getting on with the job,” he insisted. He echoed the defence of cabinet ministers in recent days, namely that he got the “big calls right” on Covid. And Johnson seemed to be on a campaign footing, road-testing a new slogan: Starmer is “a lawyer, not a leader”. The message to his backbenchers is clear. He is an election winner, and his party should stick with him.

The facts spoke for themselves this afternoon. Whether or not Johnson will be the first Prime Minister ever to be interviewed under caution by the police is still to be decided. But the incredible fact remains that a sitting Prime Minister just faced PMQs while being investigated by the police. Johnson’s jibe about Starmer’s career before entering politics seems strange, given the context. As Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle argued (and many of the public might agree): “I would prefer to be led by a lawyer than a liar.” Starmer seemed at ease. His lawyerly style was well-matched against a Prime Minister being investigated by the police. But today was not about Johnson sticking it to the Labour leader. He is in a potentially premiership-ending struggle with his own party. Everything else is on the back burner.