Boris Johnson would do well to remember the principles of high office

Boris Johnson may well be right when he says that the British public isn’t much moved about the wallpaper lining in the prime minister’s Downing Street quarters.

However, it would surely not be acceptable, even in our ever-more degraded political culture, for the prime minister of the day to have to stand trial in court. There could be no argument that the public would care then. In effect, Mr Johnson is in the preliminary stages of the British equivalent of a US-style impeachment, but without the political dimension that saved Donald Trump. Mr Johnson’s future may be decided in the courts, not the Commons. 

That indeed may prove to be the eventual outcome of the Electoral Commission’s investigation into the funding of the refurbishment of the prime minister’s quarters. Although Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing, and the government has insisted the prime minister met all costs of the makeover “personally”. Downing Street has said Mr Johnson will cooperate with the Electoral Commission’s inquiry, but has said the investigation is “a specific matter for the Conservative Party”.

What is clear is that Mr Johnson should not dismiss accusations of violating the rules governing public life with his customary insouciance.

Popular or not, the prime minister is not above the law. Although the prime minister does not yet face the prospect of being interviewed by the police in No 10 as Tony Blair was during the “cash for honours” scandal in 2006, which eventually fizzled out. 

What should cause the Conservatives more concern before next week’s round of elections is Mr Johnson’s alleged callous remarks about letting “the bodies pile up” rather than impose another lockdown. Here is something the public does care about, and which has touched the lives of millions, ironically including Mr Johnson himself.

The prime minister and those supporting him insist that he never said such a thing. Yet the words are consistent with the prime minister’s habit of imposing lockdowns too late and relaxing them too early. He implied as much in the Commons when he pleaded that he was trying to save lives but also to spare the public the agonies of lockdown, which would at least be an honest defence.

If it is Mr Johnson’s word against that of others, and his defenders such as Micheal Gove will only say that they didn’t hear him say these things, then his reputation will be further tarnished, and he may have to make a stumbling apology to the House of Commons for inadvertently misleading honourable members. No one will fall off the green benches in shock. 

Twice at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, Mr Johnson has had read out to him the Nolan principles for conduct in public office. The leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer and the leader of Plaid Cymru, Liz Saville-Roberts, simply restated the seven key words: selflessness. Integrity. Objectivity. Accountability. Openness. Honesty. Leadership.

They must make his party wince, and they represent a powerful indictment of Mr Johnson.