The Assault on Truth

1. Political Lying Undermines Democracy

Political lying is a form of theft. It takes away people’s democratic rights.

Erosion of Trust. Political lying erodes the foundation of trust between citizens and their government. When voters cannot rely on the accuracy of information provided by their leaders, they are unable to make informed decisions, thus undermining the democratic process.

Informed Judgments. Voters cannot make fair judgments on the basis of falsehoods. The ability to assess policies and candidates based on factual information is essential for a functioning democracy. When politicians deliberately mislead the public, they deprive citizens of their ability to participate meaningfully in the political process.

Freedom and Truth. Freedom cannot exist without truth, just as truth cannot be spoken without freedom. A society that tolerates political lying risks losing its freedoms, as the public domain becomes corrupted and truth becomes a tool of power.

2. Johnson's Habitual Deceit

Standards of truth telling, I will prove, collapsed at the precise moment Boris Johnson and his associates entered 10 Downing Street in the early afternoon of 24 July 2019.

Systematic Falsehoods. Boris Johnson's career is marked by a pattern of habitual lying, fabrication, and misrepresentation of facts. This behavior, amplified by his senior advisors and ministers, has normalized political deceit in British public life.

Examples of Lies:

• Claiming to build forty new hospitals when the government had only allocated money for six.
• Misleading statements about police numbers, exaggerating increases while failing to acknowledge previous cuts.
• False assertions about Jeremy Corbyn's plans, including claims about dismantling the armed forces and supporting uncontrolled immigration.

Media Complicity. Johnson's deceit has been facilitated by a media landscape that often turns a blind eye to his falsehoods. This lack of accountability allows him to perpetuate lies without serious challenge, further eroding public trust.

3. The Erosion of Public Integrity

Under Boris Johnson political deceit has become not just commonplace but automatic.

Historical Context. Britain was once renowned for public and private probity, where liars were shunned in both private and public life. However, under Boris Johnson, political deceit has become commonplace, suggesting a significant shift in societal values.

Victorian Values. The Victorian era brought high ideals into government, emphasizing accountability and integrity. This system, based on the rule of law and an impartial civil service, lasted throughout the twentieth century, fostering public trust in government.

Consequences of Deceit. The normalization of lying in politics has profound consequences. It creates a culture where cupidity and lack of integrity become essential qualities for ambitious ministers, while public spirit and truth-telling are impediments to advancement.

4. Gonzo Journalism and Political Reporting

One believes in them as one believes in characters in a soap: one accepts the invitation to half believe in them.

Blurring Fact and Fiction. Boris Johnson's early career as a journalist saw the rise of a new form of reporting that blurred the lines between fact and fiction. This "gonzo journalism" prioritized entertainment and personal narrative over strict adherence to truth.

Brussels Correspondent. As a Brussels correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, Johnson gained notoriety for sensational stories about the EU, many of which were exaggerated or entirely fabricated. These stories helped fuel Euroscepticism and shaped public opinion.

Impact on Politics. Johnson's journalistic style, characterized by wit, humor, and a disregard for accuracy, paved the way for his political career. It demonstrated that in the modern media landscape, entertainment value can be more important than truth.

5. The Peril of Truth-Twisting in Governance

The pandemic cannot be fought with lies and disinformation, and neither can it be with hatred and agitation.

Leadership and Crisis. The coronavirus pandemic exposed the dangers of truth-twisting in governance. Leaders who prioritize spin over facts are ill-equipped to handle public health crises, leading to delayed responses and increased mortality.

Contrast with Merkel. In contrast to Boris Johnson's approach, Angela Merkel's leadership during the pandemic was characterized by honesty, transparency, and reliance on scientific expertise. This approach fostered public trust and led to better outcomes in Germany.

Care Home Scandal. The Johnson government's handling of the care home crisis during the pandemic was marked by lies and blame-shifting. False claims about protecting care homes and testing residents revealed a willingness to prioritize political messaging over public safety.

6. Assault on Democratic Institutions

It’s time we started to wonder why the Johnson administration finds the rule of law so disagreeable, and non-partisan civil service and parliamentary democracy an impediment to efficient government.

Intertwined Truth and Democracy. Truth and liberal democracy are intrinsically linked. A functional democracy requires access to objective truth to hold rulers accountable. When truth is defined by those in power, the ability of the people to judge their leaders is lost.

Cabinet Secretary. The Johnson government's treatment of the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, exemplifies its assault on democratic institutions. Sedwill's forced departure signaled a shift away from impartiality and towards political control of the civil service.

Erosion of Standards. The Johnson government has been accused of cronyism, awarding contracts to business people with close connections to ministers. This behavior represents a repudiation of the principles of public service and a return to pre-modern systems of governance.

7. Media Complicity in Spreading Falsehoods

A great deal of political journalism has become the putrid public face of a corrupt government.

Media's Role. British newspapers have played a critical role in normalizing the lies, fabrications, and smears issued by the Johnson political machine. Many senior journalists have actively collaborated with Downing Street to distribute false information.

Smearing Opponents. The Johnson government has used media allies to smear political opponents, such as Philip Hammond, by spreading false stories. This tactic relies on a compliant media to cooperate with deceit, even when they know the allegations are false.

Consequences for Journalism. The collaboration between the media and the government has eroded public trust in journalism. It has created a situation where truth is sacrificed for access and favorable treatment, turning journalists into mouthpieces for those in power.

8. The Conservative Party's Transformation

The business of government [is] not to inflame passion and give it new objects to feed on, but to inject into the activities of already passionate men an ingredient of moderation; to restrain, to deflate, to pacify and to reconcile.

Reverse Takeover. The Conservative Party has undergone a transformation, with Vote Leave figures capturing key positions in Downing Street. This has led to a shift away from traditional conservative values and towards a more populist, anti-establishment agenda.

Influence of Donors. The party's reliance on private donors has increased, leading to concerns about access to power and the influence of special interests. This has further eroded the party's commitment to public service and integrity.

Erosion of Values. The Conservative Party has abandoned its traditional emphasis on institutions, due process, and truth-telling. It has embraced a new epistemology where truth is a weapon to be used for political gain.

9. A New Epistemology: Truth as a Weapon

I think he honestly believes that it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation which binds everyone else.

Progressive Methods. Both Johnson and Trump, though leaders of conservative parties, embody progressive insights about human nature. They believe the end justifies the means and wage permanent war on institutions.

Tribal Epistemology. The long-accepted distinction between truth and falsehood is replaced by truth and error. Information is evaluated not on conformity to common standards of evidence but on whether it supports the tribe’s values and goals.

Consequences for Democracy. This attitude is incompatible with democracy. It removes the possibility of fair-minded argument. The other side can only be wrong and must be shouted down or suppressed.

10. The Erosion of Shared Truth

The people of England are now renowned, all over the world, for their great virtue and discipline; and yet suffer an idiot, without courage, without sense, nay, without ambition, to have dominion in a country of liberty.

Weightless World. Johnson has become the master of a new discourse that was manufactured for a weightless world where leaders depend on facts that have either been twisted beyond recognition or do not even exist. In this world, argument descends into sloganeering.

Emotion over Thought. At the heart of the new politics is the nightmare assumption that emotion is more important than thought. This dangerous insight lies at the heart of the politics of Johnson and Trump.

Fighting Back. Parliament must once again take lying seriously. If you have a Conservative MP, as soon as you become aware of a government lie, ask him or her to demand its retraction and correction. Insist that our newspapers and media care about the truth.

Last updated: February 28, 2025