Analysis: Opposition parties must adapt in face of Prime Minister who cannot be shamed

The Prime Minister is under huge pressure over ‘partygate’ with an ongoing police investigation.

The crisis has seen some Tory MPs openly call for Boris Johnson to resign, or for others to start working on deposing him privately.

But watching Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons on Wednesday, along with Mr Johnson’s statement on Monday, it is clear he plans to treat things as business as usual.

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SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford responds to a statement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to MPs in the House of CommonsSNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford responds to a statement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to MPs in the House of Commons
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford responds to a statement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to MPs in the House of Commons
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Mr Johnson had previously refused to comment, citing the Sue Gray report, and is now taking the same approach with the Met Police investigation.

Asked by MPs if he attended any of the parties, the Prime Minister now simply refuses to answer, telling them it would not be right to speak, and therein lies the difficulty.

Even in Mr Johnson’s apology on Monday, his response listed his Government’s own achievements and focused on a bad culture rather than his own behaviour.

As such, opposition leaders have struggled to pin the Prime Minister down on the issue, with his own behaviour doing far more damage than their lines of questioning.

This included trying to smear the Labour leader with a false claim about Jimmy Savile, something Mr Johnson then doubled down on despite opposition from his own MPs.

And we are now beginning to see a change of tact.

Sir Keir Starmer has abandoned his meticulous approach, so often derided sarcastically as “forensic”, and instead now makes jokes and appeals directly to Tory MPs.

Instead of asking questions knowing he won’t get answers, Sir Keir is playing the game and finally looking like he’s invested in the outcome.

For Ian Blackford, things are more difficult.

The SNP’s Westminster leader has called for Mr Johnson to resign so many times it’s now only newsworthy if he doesn’t.

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But in refusing to withdraw his comments over the Prime Minister misleading the house, Mr Blackford has shone a light both on the Prime Minister’s behaviour, but also the failings of the Westminster system.

It patently absurd Mr Johnson can smear Sir Keir with a false claim about Saville or call Mr Blackford fat without repercussions, but the the SNP Westminster leader can't point out when someone has lied.

With the Prime Minister refusing to take responsibility, expect more stunts from leaders now aiming for headlines, not answers.

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