February in Westminster began with the fallout from Boris’s reminder of Sir Keir’s failure “to prosecute Jimmy Savile”. Despite the expected SW1 tailspin, Boris doubled down as an array of ministers lent strength to his arguments. The Savile row eventually led to one SpAd resignation before Boris toned down his language. At least Partygate was off the agenda… for now.
Another legal figure on the receiving end of well-deserved scrutiny in February was Jolyon Maugham. The liberal lawyer, fresh from a fox-less winter break, was back to doing what he does best – losing, then claiming the win anyway. The Good Law Project was found to have “failed in its entirety” in a case against Dido Harding, before they quietly dropped another against DCMS (for which they had raised £85,000). These didn’t stop Jolyon from claiming victories. Yet this was so brazen, even by his standards, that he soon apologised. Somehow, Jolyon was able to find enough time in his busy schedule of losing to take on Matt Hancock in a Twitter bitch fight. By tradition, Guido doesn’t adjudicate such spats, although in this case Jolyon’s record speaks for itself…
Much to the dismay of the commentariat, February was also a good month for GB News. The broadcaster produced prime time figures beating Sky News. Though even this couldn’t stop a sneering punch down from Westminster bubble supremo Nick Robinson. Elsewhere at the corporation, Maitlis broke impartiality again. Before announcing she, alongside Jon Sopel and Rob Burley, was to be the latest talent to jump from the ship. Going Global.
Events soon put the Westminster soap-opera into some global context. In late February, Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. As the government offered comprehensive support to Ukraine, it bought all the usual suspects out of the woodwork. While Ben Wallace schooled Caroline Lucas and Comrade Corbyn, Diane Abbott (with whip still intact) also lent her support to Putin’s position saying the “claims that Russia is the aggressor should be treated sceptically”. That was your government in waiting…
Honourable Mentions:
Headline of the Month: Tory MP Receives Lap Dance and on Stage ‘Blow Job’ From Dildo-Wielding Drag Queen
