Nadine Dorries was the first MP to support Johnson over his partygate fine and we’re shocked – shocked, we tell you
In case you’ve just come from a 24-hour sleepathon for Comic Relief or something, Tuesday’s bombshell was the news that a fresh round of fines for breaking lockdown rules would include Rishi Sunak and both Boris and Carrie Johnson.
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public.
They must both resign.
The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 12, 2022
All three released statements, with the PM recording a short broadcast, in which he insisted he hadn’t realised his birthday celebration had broken the rules. You know – the rules he helped write and repeatedly reinforced at Covid briefings. Those rules.
A reminder of when Boris Johnson said he was "furious" to see footage of staff joking about holding illegal parties in Downing Street.
All the while he knew he had attended them himself. pic.twitter.com/kiJw2iBQZw
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) April 12, 2022
As soon as the so-called apology had been broadcast, MPs ramped up Operation Save Big Dog via Twitter.
But one person was much faster out of the traps to offer Boris Johnson her full support, and even if her name weren’t in the heading – you’d still know who it must be.
People accepted what Ms Dorries had said with good grace, knowing she’s such a level-headed and impartial commentator.
Lol, jk. They did this –
1.
The police say the PM was at the party between 1400 and 1500 – i.e. as long as an hour. Nadine Dorries is repeating the PM's line that it was only 10 minutes. https://t.co/Bwl5ku6ii2
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) April 12, 2022
2.
So Nadine wins the race to tweet her support for law breaking
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) April 12, 2022
3.
Oh phew! If you only break the law for 10 minutes on a working day, it's absolutely fine. Thanks so much for explaining, @NadineDorries. Shall we offer every criminal in the country the chance to "apologise" too? https://t.co/iHWnoBYFKA
— Christina Patterson (@queenchristina_) April 12, 2022
4.
The time she ate an ostrich anus on national television was the height of Nadine Dorries’ dignity https://t.co/ff4Q3C3oCC
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) April 12, 2022
5.
First out of the blocks! The bookies favourite Nadine Dorries. Heavily backed in my replies and won't come as a big surprise to seasoned spreadsheet observers.
She says the gathering was brief and the PM has apologised https://t.co/Kvs75nilcm
— Tom Larkin (@TomLarkinSky) April 12, 2022
6.
Diana has been clear about what happened on 30th July 1984 & offered a full apology. It was a brief gathering on the Mothership, less than 10 minutes during a busy working day. She is at her best when delivering on culling the human race for food which she will continue to do. https://t.co/j3YEo1lzkJ pic.twitter.com/GfEsei38Wn
— Scarred for Life (@ScarredForLife2) April 12, 2022
7.
Strangely I don’t recall the amendment to the legislation that gave a dispensation from being accountable for breaching the rules if you were socialising after a days labour in number 10 …🤷♀️ https://t.co/jMfcR7VF5U
— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) April 12, 2022