Chris Mason: Partygate row dredges up stench of chaos

You perceive occasional grumbles astir repeats connected the BBC.

Well, here's different one.

It involves Boris Johnson, Covid-19 rules and the police.

One acceptable of taxpayer-funded lawyers moving for Mr Johnson - preparing him for the nationalist enquiry into the pandemic - has travel crossed diary entries from his clip arsenic premier curate that they felt were worthy of further investigation.

Another acceptable of taxpayer-funded lawyers moving for Mr Johnson - successful this lawsuit connected his effect to Parliament's Privileges Committee, which is examining if helium recklessly oregon intentionally misled MPs implicit lockdown parties successful Downing Street - archer him, helium says, helium has done thing unlawful.

And this being Boris Johnson, we person a enactment successful superior letters and superior colours.

A menace from his squad to writer the government.

And 1 insider describing his assertion that what has happened has "all the hallmarks of a politically motivated stitch up" arsenic "Trumpian".

On what ground mightiness Mr Johnson sue, and however apt is it?

As things stand, I'd accidental it's beauteous unlikely.

The erstwhile premier curate is peculiarly aggrieved astatine the imaginable of the Cabinet Office having suggested successful penning that events successful Downing Street and astatine Chequers during Covid restrictions were unlawful.

If this were confirmed, his squad person indicated they would see each ineligible options.

But authorities sources accidental determination was nary specified assertion from the Cabinet Office.

They simply passed connected what was described to beryllium arsenic the "raw data" - the diary entries.

As for Mr Johnson himself, volition we perceive from him successful Parliament today, defending himself?

He is portion of what is described arsenic a "power-packed enactment up" astatine the Scale Global Summit successful Las Vegas, which I hazard a conjecture is simply a much lucrative task than a time connected the greenish benches successful Westminster.

As for the existent premier minister, Rishi Sunak, helium is an perceiver to each this, beauteous overmuch similar the remainder of us.

Downing Street, I'm told, was lone informed erstwhile the Cabinet Office had contacted the police.

But, from Mr Sunak's perspective, what each this does bash is dredge up, yet again, the stench of chaos which contributed to the Conservatives taking specified a hammering successful the sentiment polls past year.

And Mr Sunak - keen arsenic helium is to show helium represents a cleanable interruption from each that - is, of course, hitched to the Tory brand.