Glad ex-PM Boris was finally sanctioned

Finally, after many months, Boris has been properly sanctioned by Parliament.

This has sent a clear and direct signal that we expect high standards of our elected officials, to which Boris fell well short.

It is a shame it was really too late, when he has done such damage to the country already, and to the public’s trust in their elected officials.

And yet for such a crucial vote to try and restore public trust, our very own North Swindon MP, Justin Tomlinson, was absent.

What a disappointment, yet unsurprising when his own record on honesty and integrity in public office is so poor.

I expect another article where Justin tells us to “just move on”.

I can’t wait for the opportunity for the good people of Swindon to deliver that same message to Justin at the next General Election.

Tom Butcher

Question for our North Swindon MP

Through your paper can I ask Justin Tomlinson the MP for North Swindon, why he did not support the House of Commons Privileges Committee Report and recommendations on Boris Johnson and the Partygate scandal?

Kevin Small

Mail editor is taking a big risk on Boris

Mail editor Paul Dacre is taking a big risk and will need to be very patient with his new columnist, Boris Johnson.

But unfortunately Dacre is not known for his patience.

A former Telegraph editor, Charles Moore, has gone on record that when Johnson worked for him as a columnist, he was notorious for delivering his copy late, leaving the paper’s sub-editors anxiously watching the approaching deadlines.

Newspaper deadlines are set in stone, the start of the presses triggering a process that results in bundled newspapers being delivered at newsagents and other outlets, ready for early wouldbe readers.

Once, having missed a deadline by several hours, Johnson’s column was replaced by another written by a different journalist.

This did not go down well with Johnson, who expects people to pander to and enable his chaotic lifestyle.

The long suffering sub-editor, who had put up with his late copy for years, was on the receiving end of his abusive phone call.

They recalled his “ferocious temper”.

A fellow journalist has predicted “Boris Johnson’s copy will always be late and whatever it says will be unchecked and extravagantly untrue,” - risky in a now highly litigious world.

Remember Johnson was fired by The Times for inventing a quote in an article.

As a journalist ,he has had a controversial career.

Being imaginative and entertaining does not mean accurate and reliable.

Boris Johnson has observed “They do not put statues up to journalists!” - perhaps the true egocentric reason he ventured into politics.

He enjoyed the status and the perks of a politician, but not the boring and demanding day to day grind of negotiation, consultation and paperwork.

It could well be a tempestuous and rocky relationship between Dacre and Johnson - the former expecting professional discipline and commitment, the latter special treatment and indulgence towards his relaxed approach to deadlines and facts.

Andrew Milroy