The conversation continues about Boris Johnson’s misleading of parliament.
'Shouldn't we now hold a Brexit inquiry...'
■ Regarding the verdict that Boris Johnson misled parliament over the Downing Street parties.
Shouldn’t we now hold an inquiry to see whether the ex-prime minister misled the public about Brexit? Or do we already know the answer to that one?
Tony Howarth, London
A reader perhaps half-sarcastically suggests that there may be other instances where the former prime minister has deceived the public, which could be worth an investigation:
There is also a tribute from the president of People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals to the late Labour MP and Academy Award-winning actress Glenda Jackson.
Readers also give their opinion on beards and unfair summer dress codes for men, and a reader shares her experience transitioning to London life after 16 years in Dubai.
What do you think?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Readers discuss Boris Johnson’s covid inquiry, excuses and popularity
■ A fair and impartial inquiry has found Boris guilty of lying. So, how did Tony Blair get away with lying to parliament regarding Saddam Hussain having WMD when it was clear he hadn’t?
Alan, via email
■ May I point out that Mr Johnson was only elected because people like myself didn’t want Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister (he was too left wing), not, as Jacob Rees-Mogg states, because Mr Johnson was popular. We had no choice.
Rinaldo Gozdek, London
■ Boris says ‘the morale of the staff mattered for the Covid fight’, therefore the No.10 lockdown-breaking parties were necessary workplace events.
In that case, why weren’t these parties encouraged for NHS staff and other key workers?
Were all the key workers entitled to have a government-funded thank you party? I didn’t know! Waiting for my cake.
Diana, NHS Worker, London
■ Judy Baldwinson (MetroTalk, Thu) cheers the demise of Messrs Johnson, Trump and Berlusconi – but all achieved their positions by democratic vote.
Is she suggesting that the right to vote should be restricted to people who do so ‘correctly’? May I ask who she thinks should not be allowed to vote in future? It will, self-evidently, be the majority of those at present permitted to do so.
I am not sure that it would achieve universal approval.
Graham, Northampton
■ Boris has little regard for laws of the country and lied to us all.
I hope parliament votes to uphold the verdict against him today and that he is stripped of every right and privilege usually offered to those who have held high office, making it impossible for him to ever return to parliament.
Hima, London
■ The British people are hurting from 13 years of painful Tory government.
Yet all Tory MPs care about is who gets a knighthood/peerage from disgraced charlatan Boris Johnson, and whether they will endorse the report from the Tory-dominated privileges committee that confirmed what some knew all along, that Johnson is a serial liar.
Labour swept the Tories aside in 1997 and rebuilt our decrepit public services after the Thatcher/Major years. With Sir Keir Starmer, they can do so again.
David Bodimeade, Rayleigh
■ I write to commend your wonderfully worded headline ‘Is proper whopper a career stopper?’ (Metro, Fri).
While Mr Johnson appears to have a history of deceit while hiding behind an image of tousle-headed bonhomie, it is difficult to believe the MPs who now condemn him would not have behaved in a similar way.
The quotation, ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ comes to mind.
Keeley-Jasmine Cavendish, London
n Jogging to lose weight? Forget it. Judging by the photos of Boris Johnson on his daily run, it clearly doesn’t work. Chris, Oxford
Glenda Jackson, champion of animals
■ While no one will forget Glenda Jackson, who has died, aged 87 (Metro, Fri), for her exceptional acting achievements, Peta will remember her for her work off-screen to help animals.
As a MP, Jackson seized every opportunity to rally for better treatment of animals, denouncing animal testing, the live export of animals for slaughter, hare coursing, and wild-animal circuses.
She passionately supported our campaign to replace the bearskins used for the King’s Guard’s caps with faux fur, condemning the use of real fur as ‘totally unnecessary’.
Jackson fought for a fairer shake for animals and was proof that one person can indeed make a difference. Peta asks her many fans to honour her memory by championing the cause of animals – just as she did.
Ingrid Newkirk, Founder, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Grey beards, suits in summer and work affairs
■ I note that on the TV news, the female presenters are dressed up in light summer clothing during the hot weather, while the male ones are still trussed up in suits with collars and ties on. Blatant sexism if you ask me!
James Spriggs, Burntwood
■ Why is it that many older men think that it is a good idea to grow a grey beard? Many TV presenters/celebrities of a certain age are doing this, I take it, to look cool but they just look older and scruffy!
Paul, London
■ So, the Philip Schofield saga rumbles on, with ITV’s boss made to account for its handling of the ex-presenter’s secret affair with a younger male colleague (Metro, Thu). I don’t know of any organisation, except for monasteries, where one signs a contract of celibacy as part of the job.
People have affairs. It happens. They lie about it. But it is a private matter for the parties concerned and their immediate families. It has nothing to do with me, you, the company that they work for or, God help us, a committee.
One has to ask why this has blown up to such extraordinary proportions. If it’s not homophobia, then what is it?
Sylvie, Bromley
■ I have been reading your newspaper for a while. What started as a crossword obsession has led to me waiting for Metro to get my all-round news that
I can read at my table.
We have been in London for six months after 16 years in Dubai, and I was anxious about making the change.
And it has been a refreshing change. The long walks to the stations and bus stops have been the cherry on the top. The weather allowed us to move around freely and this freedom was exhilarating. We couldn’t get enough.
We’re always out and about. The winters didn’t stop us and when spring came it was a breath of fresh air, literally. We have a very active lifestyle without any restrictions of weather and the constant buzz of air conditioning. We have been exploring many places and there’s so much more to see. We even got a chance to visit Kent and the stunning white cliffs at Dover.
We loved our Dubai phase but if anyone asks me one more time why we left, this will be my answer, ‘It’s a breath of fresh air.’ Thank you.
Warda Fatima, Newham
■ Just to thank you for your two new additions to the paper, namely Today
In History and Birthdays. I go for my morning walk to get Metro from the station for me and my neighbour.
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MORE : Film icon Glenda Jackson’s glittering acting career was full of triumphs before she became Labour MP
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