The chaotic choreography of something like Boris Johnson’s resignation as Prime Minister made for some contrasting front pages on Friday.
The Guardian has a poster-style front page with a photo of an “unrepentant” Johnson during his resignation speech and the headline “It’s (Almost) Over” in which the words in brackets are reduced to a much smaller size.
Inside, Jonathan Friedland says Johnson’s toxic spell on Britain has been broken after the “born con artist” was finally caught in his own lies.
The Financial Times also highlighted the “ruthless” tone of the outgoing leader in its blurb headlined “Johnson leaves, defiant to the core”. However, Robert Schrimsley’s front-page column says that despite the loss of MPs’ confidence, its historical significance is “indisputable”.
The Mirror has an intriguing claim that Johnson wants to stay on as Prime Minister in order to throw a “lavish” Checkers party, long planned for July 30, to celebrate his wedding to Carey last year. “Clinging to one last party,” reads the headline.
The Times comes out with “Johnson throws in the towel”, reporting that his resignation has sparked a “bloody leadership contest”. Columnist Ian Martin says Johnson’s chaotic Downing Street rule bequeaths his successor a “nightmare legacy”.
The succession issue is front and center in the Telegraph, which includes a warning from “senior Tories” that Johnson’s desire to hang on until the autumn means the government will be paralyzed: “PM’s long farewell leaves UK in ‘state of paralysis'” “.
The Downing Street PR machine’s release of pictures showing Johnson holding his young son Wilfred was meant to soften coverage of the resignation, but the Mail is doubling down with sclerotic outbursts about how Tory MPs will “regret the day” have forced their leader out of office.
“What the hell did they do?” on the front page it steams, claiming that Keir Starmer will be “gapped” and that the champagne corks will pop in Brussels and Moscow. The paper said it was “the day the Tories lost their balls”.
For the Express, this is the day to remember the man who made Brexit happen. “Thank you Boris… you gave Britain freedom back,” the headline read.
The Sun uses the family picture and also wants to remember what pushed Johnson to power. “A kiss goodbye,” reads the headline, adding below “… and thanks for Brexit.”
“Go, go… but don’t go,” says the Scotsman…
… and Metro has “Leaving Means Leaving”.
The letter i has simply “Fall” and says the Prime Minister was “humiliated” by having to resign in front of a large crowd in Downing Street.
The Daily Record lists a long indictment against Johnson, including Partygate, the Pincher affair, the wallpaper row and “lie after lie”, and concludes with its verdict: “Worst prime minister ever”
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