![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/Boris-Johnson-1559246.jpg?r=1643728369026\")
<\/p>\nWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n
Professor Tony Travers, director of LSE London, also suggested Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to invoke former Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher would have stung Tory backbenchers. Prof Travers was speaking the day after Mr Johnson was grilled by MPs after the publication of an update to the report prepared by civil servant Sue Gray, who is also looking into the alleged breaches.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson – who has already apologised for attending one such event, in the garden of Number 10 on May 20, 2020 – was given a rough ride in the Commons and had likely emerged “weaker than he began”, Prof Travers suggested.<\/p>\n
He stressed: “Not only did Sue Gray’s report rather more deliberately point to the culture and the responsibility within Downing Street, but the police also put out a press statement about the 300 photographs and 500 pages.<\/p>\n
“So I think the tantalising nature of the 300 photographs and the 500 pages is going to make it rather harder never to publish it than if they hadn’t specified the numbers.”<\/p>\n
Mr Travers warned: “The existence of so many photographs will give everybody involved pause for thought.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“And, it’s hard to imagine photographs being other than of social events.<\/p>\n
“I might be wrong, they may be photographs of people at work but that is another worry that must slightly corrode the Prime Minister’s support until and unless we see what they are.<\/p>\n
“ I think it’s very hard to imagine none of them ever been published.”<\/p>\n
The mood among Tories on Monday had been “glum” and tetchy, Prof Travers said.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Sir-Keir-Starmer-3891924.jpg?r=1643728374560\")
<\/p>\n
He added: “I think many of the influential and senior backbenchers clearly felt and feel uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
“And I think in that sense, Keir Starmer’s explaining of how they’re all going to be held to account for this in the medium to long term probably did cut through, as did his mentioning Mrs Thatcher.<\/p>\n
“You only have to ask yourself, would Theresa May or Margaret Thatcher have presided over this kind of Downing Street? And the answer is no, full stop.<\/p>\n
“I think quoting Mrs Thatcher will have cut deep and aggravated Conservative MPs, but they will have understood the point.”<\/p>\n
DON’T MISS<\/strong> Prof Travers explained: “Mrs Thatcher, like Theresa May had a rather kind of dour approach to this.<\/p>\n “It’s not they couldn’t have a laugh but they’re not people associated with partying, and a sort of stag do culture, really.”<\/p>\n Prof Travers said the revelation that police were investigating one event held in the flat above Number 10 was also a potentially difficulty, given it would be difficult for Mr Johnson to argue he was not aware of such a gathering.<\/p>\n He said: “Number 10 isn’t Blenheim Palace, or Versailles. It is a smallish property. It’s a classic London late Georgian house, and anybody who’s been in number 10 will know it’s pokey and small and interconnected.<\/p>\n “I think the other thing that yesterday suggests which is problematic is that this is going to go on and on.<\/p>\n “They probably thought that they had to use the government’s own Prime Minister’s own words last week, draw a line and we can now move on.<\/p>\n “But this is clearly going to continue to rumble on now.”<\/p>\n
Dominic Raab erupts over partygate ‘You can’t have it both ways Kay!’<\/span><\/span> [REACTION] <\/strong>
Boris offered huge lifeline from Sue Gray… but then opened his mouth<\/span><\/span> [REVEALED] <\/strong>
Sue Gray blasted by ex civil servant over harsh Boris Johnson report<\/span><\/span> [INSIGHT]<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Boris-Johnson-3891932.jpg?r=1643728374701\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Margaret-Thatcher-3891925.jpg?r=1643728374802\")
<\/p>\n