The commentariat seems to have got overexcited by Boris’s comments during this afternoon’s Reuters pool interview, in which he clarified his comments on Starmer, the CPS and Jimmy Savile:

“Let’s be absolutely clear, I’m talking not about the Leader of the Opposition’s personal record when he was DPP and I totally understand that he had nothing to do personally with those decisions. I was making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole.”

This is the same songbook loyal Tory MPs and now ministers have been singing from since the comments were made. Guido cannot see how pundits are interpreting it as the PM backing down. What is different is the tone – something wavering Tory MPs who care about civility in politics will appreciate and may prevent a couple more letters going in to Graham Brady. Boris’s ‘dead nonce strategy’ has worked – Partygate was knocked off the agenda by a row that has raised questions about potential hypocrisy from Starmer. Now time to focus on things that matter to people outside of SW1…