This is what happens when you debase your political currency

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We shouldn’t be surprised by the Tory party’s reaction to Sue Gray (PA Wire)

Many Johnson-supporting Tories seem to be incensed by the possibility of Sue Gray becoming chief of staff in a future Keir Starmer premiership. They claim it totally invalidates her enquiry into Partygate, which to them was a manufactured scandal intended to bring down a Brexit-backing PM all orchestrated by the Labour Party.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this reaction. This, after all, is the party that couldn’t believe the level of acquiescence shown by the vast majority of the public to lockdown restrictions. The party that considered it quite acceptable to award highly lucrative contracts for PPE and Covid testing to their friends and supporters. The party that thought nothing of holding alcohol-fuelled karaoke parties in 10 Downing Street. The party that condoned the egregious behaviour of Owen Paterson and deliberately misled the late Queen over the proroguing of parliament.

When notions of honesty, integrity and decency barely trouble you, it must be hard to appreciate that individuals such as Sue Gray can hold firm beliefs and still display impartiality, open-mindedness and honour. It’s what happens when you debase the political currency for over half a decade and then judge everybody by your own miserable standards.