Boris Johnson’s three-hour grilling at the Privileges Committee dominates Thursday’s UK newspapers, with a focus on the former prime minister’s fate and dramatic descriptions of both humiliation and defiance.
Johnson is fighting for his political future after MPs investigating his partygate denials denounced the “flimsy” assurances they were based on.
During what Metro describes as “bad-tempered” exchanges, Johnson insisted there was not a “shred of evidence” to show he lied to MPs.
The Privileges Committee could recommend his suspension from the Commons, and if a proposal for a 10-day suspension is voted through by MPs, a by-election in Johnson’s seat could be triggered.
Reacting to the dramatic day, The Daily Telegraph said Johnson was “besieged but defiant” in its front page headline, while The Daily Express leads on “bullish” Johnson’s promise that he did not lie to MPs.
But by far the most gushing coverage came from the Daily Mail, which said Johnson was “as agile as a cat” and “pure box office”, with Sarah Vine writing: “Not since Johnny Depp took on Amber Heard has a courtroom drama been so hotly anticipated.”
She describes Johnson as “the Captain Jack Sparrow of British politics” and a “buccaneer and charming rogue”.
The front page has provoked quite the reaction on social media.
Here’s what people had to say:
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