Politics
Sinead Butler
Apr 30, 2021
Getty Images and AFP via Getty Images
Newsnight’sEmily Maitlis has been praised on social media for her succinct monologue which brilliantly explains why Boris Johnson’s flat refurbishment scandal matters to the British public.
At the beginning of her speech, she says: “This is not a story about furnishing, wallpaper and mood lighting, it’s not even a story about John Lewis. It’s a story about which money changed hands to pay for them, why it’s not been formally declared and why we still don’t know what happened.”
The Electoral Commission has now launched a full investigation into the matter, saying they have reasonable grounds to consider an offence may have occurred.
This is not the first time, the prime minister has faced questions about his conduct this week.
In the House of Commons on Wednesday, he was forced to deny a quote, widely attributed to him, about Covid deaths: “Let the bodies pile up” [in reference to the possibility of a third lockdown.]
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But if his denial later proves to be untrue, he may be forced to resign for misleading Parliament.
The Newsnight presenter goes on to explain how this scandal has stemmed from an “internal row” between the prime minister and his former advisor, Dominic Cummings and that “any donations have now been repaid.”
She adds: “...the fittings and fixtures are the least of Britain’s problems right now.”
“Why does all this matter?” Maitlis questions.
“Well it matters because it involves standards, rules and integrity in public office and once those values start to erode, can the public ever expect to get them back?”
Many people on social media commended Maitlis for her accurate and concise introduction:
Emily Maitlis succinctly explaining... Why. It. Matters #Newsnight https://t.co/D51IXi0URy— David (@David) 1619647130
Brilliantly done https://t.co/SN6f1KiPu2— Liam Thorp (@Liam Thorp) 1619692421
@Zero_4 Excellent, succinct summary from @maitlis, as we would expect. We need to get to the bottom of all these al… https://t.co/4WRjVSYB9M— LezzleSE3 (@LezzleSE3) 1619690737
@Zero_4 Maitlis is a gem so clear, so succinct and doing the work of a journalist - telling truth to power— Clare Taylor💙#FBPE 🌈🌞🌟💃🇪🇺🐝 (@Clare Taylor💙#FBPE 🌈🌞🌟💃🇪🇺🐝) 1619650339
@Zero_4 Succinct summary of both sides of the issue and why it matters, we'll said Emily— Iain Hyland (@Iain Hyland) 1619674509
It remains to be seen what will happen in regards to the scandal but Keir Starmer isn’t willing to let it go away. The Labour leader was pictured at a John Lewis store of Thursday pricing up a roll of wallpaper.
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