Kevin Maguire: Liar Johnson is shameless over Cummings but public mood has changed

Boris Johnson didn’t get to where he is now by telling the truth so the Prime Minister isn’t starting.

Lying is his modus operandi, deceiving enough of the people enough of the time the Johnson path to No 10.

It’s worked apart from the two occasions – first as a Times trainee reporter then a Tory opposition frontbench spokesman – he was nailed and fired.

That trademark shamelessness is why the rule maker doesn’t lose a wink of sleep over his rule breaking chief adviser Dominic Cummings.

The PM knew the aide hadn’t Stayed Home while Johnson was lecturing the rest of us to do that.

Rules are for the little people on Planet Boris, not Masters of the Universe in No 10.

There is no more shocking example of the Them versus Us grotesque mentality of a Tory elite displaying contempt for the people it dishonestly claims to represent.

Cummings’ wife, Mary Wakefield, writing an account of her husband’s illness which let readers assume they remained in London by airbrushing Durham out of the story, gives this scandal the edge of a conspiracy.

Johnson’s strategy is to urge us all to focus on his easing of the lockdown, the PM’s second successive daily appearance at the No 10 media podium a sure sign he’s in trouble after going missing in action.

Yet the Durham trip, including a visit to beautiful Barnard Castle, is a question of trust.

And this PM is untrustworthy, a truth-twister, a cynical liar.

Add the fatal incompetence over lockdown dithering, care homes, PPE and testing fiascos and the charge sheet is long.

Johnson’s jaundiced judgement is warping politics and the business of Government.

We need to Stay Alert to his faults and failures when the bodies are piling up.

The public mood’s changed.

Johnson’s jolly act is earning jeers not cheers.