12 June 2023 , 21:08
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The ferocious war of words between Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson over peerages and gongs for Conservative cronies shows the Tories have lost the authority and ability to govern Britain.
Dignity and respect have gone out of the window in this bitter blue-on-blue battle with Johnson accusing Sunak of “talking rubbish” and Sunak charging Johnson with wanting him to break the rules.
When people are struggling with a sapping cost of living crisis and an ailing NHS is on its knees, this pair scrapping over the spoils of office shows how out of touch they are.
With another row imminent over the resignation honours list of Liz Truss, the Tory Party has lost the plot and its right to govern.
The accolade the Conservatives need is the Order of the Boot.
Hospitals run out of oxygen and mortuaries full amid NHS chaos
Time for truth
The Covid inquiry opening today is an official opportunity for the victims of the pandemic to receive posthumous justice and the survivors to be heard.
Time passing does not heal the wounds of those unable to properly say goodbye to loved ones. Or does it lessen scandals over PPE or lockdown partying by a PM who broke the rules he imposed on others.
So the chair Heather Hallett, an independent peer and former Appeal Court judge, must ignore cynics criticising or sneakily attempting to block her quest for the truth and lessons to be learned for future pandemics.
The UK recorded one of the world’s higher death tolls and those responsible must finally be held to account.
A tainted life
The old adage about never speaking ill of the dead cannot apply to people such as Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s longest-serving post-war leader.
When his career was tainted by sex scandals, a tax fraud conviction and corruption allegations, it is hard to praise the media tycoon turned reactionary politician.