If you follow Susie Dent on Twitter, you’ll know by now that she often offers up topical references with her “Word Of The Day”, and she had the perfect one after Boris Johnson was fined for his part in the partygate scandal.
On Tuesday, the prime minister, his wife Carrie and the chancellor Rishi Sunak were found to have broken the law with a birthday gathering for the PM in the Cabinet room in June 2020.
As the news made waves up and down the country – not to mention on social media – Susie threw some not-so-subtle shade at Johnson, who had repeatedly insisted “no rules were broken” prior to the Metropolitan Police launching an investigation into the scandal.
She tweeted: “Word of the day is ‘maw-worm’ (19th century): one who insists that they have done nothing wrong, despite evidence to the contrary.”
In a televised statement on Tuesday evening, the prime minister said: “I once again offer a full apology. I accept in all sincerity that people have the right to expect better.”
After reading his statement, he was asked if he had lied, but insisted he said what he did in “completely good faith”.
“It didn’t occur to me that I was in breach of the rules,” he said. “I now humbly accept that I was.”
Asked if he would resign, he added: “I want to be able to get on and deliver the mandate I have.”
While allies have rallied round to support him, Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for parliament to be recalled and for Johnson to resign.
On Wednesday morning, MP for Amber Valley Nigel Mills also became the first Tory MP to publicly call on Johnson to go.