Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy, has spoken on BBC Radio Humberside, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire about the lockdown parties’ scandal in Downing Street and the subsequent investigation and report by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
The programmes explored a range of topics including what the Sue Gray report tells us about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s character, the working culture inside Downing Street, and the electoral impact that the findings may have on the Conservative Party more widely.
Speaking on BBC Radio Humberside about what the scandal says about the Prime Minister’s character, Professor Catterall added: “In the case of Johnson, we know that either he knew he was breaking the rules and didn’t care, and in which case he is a knave, or he didn’t understand the rules, which is what he’s [led] Parliament to believe, in which case he’s a fool.”
Commenting on the attitudes of working-class voters towards Boris Johnson following the revelations in the report on BBC Radio Wales, Professor Catterall said: “I think that there is increasing polling evidence which suggests that those voters are increasingly disillusioned with the government. I mean, you've even got Tory journalists writing about ‘Britain does not have a functioning government’ in the light of this report. So…I suppose the proof of the pudding will be what happens with the Wakefield by-election, which is coming up, but the evidence of the recent local elections and so on, suggests the Conservatives would lose that seat if that does happen.”
Lastly, speaking on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire about what the Sue Gray report says about the culture inside Number 10 Downing Street, Professor Catterall said: “One of the things that is most striking about [the Sue Gray report] is the culture of lying and the ridiculous and increasingly incredible evasions which have taken place. To some extent, the parallels with the Owen Patterson event are very clear – Johnson, by trying to bury the story, just made it worse…One of the most damning things about it is it illustrates a culture of lying, not only is the Prime Minister lying…but he’s made lots of other people tell lies on his behalf.”
Listen to Professor Catterall’s full interview on 24 May 2022 on BBC Radio Humberside.
Listen to Professor Catterall’s full interview on 25 May 2022 on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire.
Listen to Professor Catterall’s full interview on 26 May 2022 on BBC Radio Wales.
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