London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 22, 2026

Newspaper headlines: Johnson faces 'punishment' and his 'stitch-up'

Newspaper headlines: Johnson faces 'punishment' and his 'stitch-up'

The former PM facing a "battle for his political future" and his combative response leads the papers.

Boris Johnson leads the press coverage in Saturday's papers. The former prime minister could be at risk of suspension from the House of Commons according to senior parliamentary sources, writes the Times. It comes after the committee investigating whether Mr Johnson misled MPs over lockdown parties published a 23-page document on the matter. The committee said that rule-breaking should have been "obvious" to the former Conservative Party leader, the paper writes.



Continuing on the so-called Partygate story, the Guardian writes that the committee has found evidence the former PM misled MPs and that he and his aides almost certainly knew at the time they were breaking the rules.



The former prime minister attended lockdown bashes says the Daily Mirror. The paper has published what it says are previously unseen pictures of Boris Johnson at "lockdown drinks".



Boris Johnson may have misled parliament four times concerning gatherings at No 10, writes the Daily Star.



The Daily Express has focused on the former prime minister striking a combative tone. They write that he has described the investigation as a "cynical stitch-up".



The Daily Mail has reported on Mr Johnson's criticism of the House of Commons privileges committee for taking evidence from Sue Gray. The former civil servant had previously investigated lockdown gatherings in Downing Street and was recently offered a job as Labour leader Keir Starmer's chief of staff.



WhatsApp messages from Boris Johnson's advisors conflict with the former Conservative Party leader's version of events over lockdown parties, reports the i newspaper.



Keeping on the subject of WhatsApp messages, the Daily Telegraph has focused on a story concerning the former health secretary. The paper writes that messages reveal the former front bench MP was at odds with then chancellor Rishi Sunak over lockdown measures, with Matt Hancock in favour of tighter curbs.



The FT is continuing with its coverage on chip designer Arm into the weekend. UK officials have blamed the Financial Conduct Authority as the reason why the firm chose to list in New York instead of London, the FT reports.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson dominates Saturday's papers.


The Times says the former Prime Minister is now fighting for his political career, after an interim Commons report suggested four ways he may have misled MPs over Partygate. According to the paper, senior "parliamentary sources" believe the findings are so strong Mr Johnson could be suspended from the Commons for more than a month - meaning he might have to face a by-election. The Guardian suggests that the interim report paints a compelling picture of what the paper calls 'an attempted cover-up by Number 10', over Partygate.

The i's view is that any hopes of a comeback for Mr Johnson are in "peril" because of the allegations. It outlines how even Mr Johnson's staff struggled to defend the line that Covid rules hadn't been broken.


The "great gaping hole" in Boris's Partygate defence is how the Independent headlines its coverage. This is a reference to a quote about Mr Johnson's account of Partygate from his own communications advisor at the time, Jack Doyle.

The Mirror's front page headline is "Parties - he knew", alongside a picture of the former Prime Minister at a drinks event. It says the report makes clear that the breaches in social distancing rules at government lockdown gatherings would have been "obvious" to Mr Johnson.

But the Daily Mail highlights Mr Johnson's claim that there is no evidence to support allegations he misled MPs. Inside, it describes the investigating Commons Committee as a "kangaroo court" of "Boris-hating pygmies" - and suggests they've found barely a water pistol let alone a smoking gun to point at the former prime minister. The same view is taken by the Daily Express, which says Mr Johnson insisted that the interim report vindicated him.


There is no mention of the story at all on the front page of the Telegraph, which instead has more details from the cache of WhatsApp messages leaked to it concerning Matt Hancock. It details how the former health secretary tried to enlist the help of the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, to outflank Rishi Sunak, who was then Chancellor, as they argued over Covid restrictions.

The FT Weekend leads on a story that UK officials are blaming the Financial Conduct Authority for a decision by the Cambridge-based chip designer, Arm, to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, rather than London's. The paper says what it describes as "onerous" FCA rules lay behind the move by the firm's Japanese owners.

The FT also has an arresting picture of soldiers marching in Beijing before the start of tomorrow's National People's Congress, which will rubber stamp Communist Party decisions and set an economic growth target for the year . It says more than 80 of the 5,000 delegates are billionaires.

And on its front page The Sun says the Loose Women Presenter, Sophie Morgan, could become Strictly Come Dancing's first wheelchair-using contestant. It quotes a "source" as saying the 38-year-old - who was paralysed from the chest down after a car crash at 18 - would be "amazing" on the show.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson to Raise Pension Concerns Over British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme
UK Parliament to Debate Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Following Public Petition
Met Office Warns of Water Safety Risks During Heatwave as Temperatures Peak in England
Treasury Increases Mileage Allowance Payments for 2026–27 Tax Year to 55 Pence Per Mile
UK Government Raises Electricity Generator Levy to 55 Percent in New Revenue Measure
House of Lords Moves Financial Services and Markets Bill to Committee Stage Amid Regulatory Scrutiny
Westminster Hall to Debate Petition on Pro-Israel Influence in UK Politics
UK Parliament Prepares for Estimates Days Debates as Backbench Business Schedule Approved
Armed Forces Bill Nears Final Stages in UK House of Commons With Military Justice Reforms
Donald Trump Comments on UK Political Situation, Citing Immigration and Energy Policy Concerns
Andy Burnham By-Election Victory Fuels Speculation Over Potential Labour Leadership Contest
UK Economy Shows Resilience but Faces Headwinds from Middle East Tensions, UK Finance Says
UK Parliament Opens Week of Debates on Net Zero, Security and Armed Forces Reform
Met Office Issues Amber Extreme Heat Warning as Temperatures Expected to Reach 35C Across England and Wales
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Mounting Leadership Pressure After Makerfield By-Election Defeat
London Hotel Wins World’s Best Afternoon Tea Award at International Hospitality Guide La Liste
Court of Appeal Rules in Favour of Competition and Markets Authority in Phenytoin Drug Case
Chichester Waste Site Suspended After Environment Agency Finds Serious Fire and Pollution Risks
UK Appoints Chris Elmore as Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
Environment Agency Fines Yorkshire Firms Nearly £470,000 for Environmental Permit Breaches
British Chambers of Commerce Says Post-Brexit Trade Deals Have Limited Economic Impact
Resident Doctors to Vote on Government Pay Offer in Ongoing NHS Dispute
UK Public Borrowing Reaches £46.3 Billion in Early Fiscal Year, Driven by Debt Interest Costs
UK Government Unveils £100 Million Package to Strengthen Fire and Rescue Response Capacity
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent Despite Easing Inflation
Met Office Extends Amber Heat Warning as Temperatures Forecast to Reach 38C Across Southern England
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Expected to Resign Amid Mounting Labour Party Pressure
UK Government Tightens Procurement Rules to Prioritise National Security and Supply Chain Resilience
National Drought Group Reviews Water Supply Risks After Dry Spring and Ongoing Heatwave
Andy Burnham Faces Leadership Speculation After Weak Local Election Results for Labour
Charity Commission Appoints Interim Managers to Barnabas Aid Amid Financial Investigation
Government Awards £27 Million Leonardo UK Contract to Maintain Military Aircraft Fleet
Environment Agency Suspends Chichester Waste Site Permit Over Fire and Pollution Risks
Border Force Seizes Record Cannabis Shipment in Major UK Criminal Network Disruption
Lloyds Banking Group to Hire 300 Artificial Intelligence Specialists in Digital Expansion Push
UK Government Introduces Alcohol Monitoring Tags for 7,000 Offenders Ahead of Summer Sporting Season
Resident Doctors in England Prepare Vote on Government Pay and Working Conditions Offer
Police Scotland Investigates Suspected Anti-Muslim Attacks in Edinburgh Following Arrest
Met Office Issues Rare Amber Extreme Heat Warning Across Southern and Eastern England
UK Government Unveils Digital Homebuying Reforms to Cut Costs and Speed Up Property Transactions
Train Driver Dies and 89 Injured in Rail Collision Near Bedford as Safety Investigation Begins
Long-Term Economic and Political Effects of Brexit Continue to Shape UK Policymaking
Digital Disinformation Emerges as a Growing National Security Challenge in the United Kingdom
Britain's Dependence on Global Energy Routes Drives Push for More Resilient Supply Chains
Rising Energy Costs Continue to Threaten Britain's Cost-of-Living Recovery
Concerns Grow Over Far-Right Organizing and AI-Driven Online Radicalization in Britain
UK-Led Global Partnerships Conference Calls for Reform of International Development Finance
Middle East Tensions Continue to Weigh on UK Business Confidence
Reports of Middle East Peace Deal Ease Pressure on UK Energy Prices
UK Warns Middle East Conflict Could Worsen Global Food Insecurity
×