As a former teacher, I found watching Boris Johnson’s appearance before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee a profoundly disturbing experience. I was watching an adult, but hearing a child.
When coming to terms with the world around them a small child will, at times, see nothing wrong in denying the truth or creating an alternative reality into which they can escape. “I didn’t eat the chocolate biscuit, and I certainly don’t know how chocolate got on to my face!”
Most people learn quickly the damaging cost of dishonesty in important matters to those around them, and to their own image and reputation. Mr Johnson seems unable to detect “important matters” and consequently, he blunders on trivialising his dishonesty as no more than cheating in a game of Snakes and Ladders.
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