13 favourite reactions to the government’s standards reform U-turn

It’s hardly the first U-turn executed by Boris Johnson’s government but – in a crowded field – it’s surely the most dramatic and humiliating yet.

A day after Tory MPs voted to overhaul the standards that saw Owen Paterson found guilty of lobbying, it has hastily ditched its plans following a barrage of criticism from just about everyone.

Having abandoned the proposed changes to House of Commons sleaze rules, the government will now begin cross-party talks on how to implement any reform.

Politics as emotional rollercoaster. Yesterday was an exercise in dismay. Today, however, is proving very very funny. https://t.co/lyipUvrgPJ

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) November 4, 2021

It wasn’t entirely a surprise to everyone, not least Gary Neville who said this five hours before the announcement.

Watch this lot retreat on this vote! Just watch them. It’s what they do. They try and get away with everything they can until it gets hot . They then backdown and u-turn . We have petty criminal mentality in power

— Gary Neville (@GNev2) November 4, 2021

Here’s Jacob-Rees Moog applying the handbrake turn in the Commons today.

Government U-turns on new Tory-led standards process in favour of working cross-party.

“I fear last night’s debate conflated the individual case with the general concern” pic.twitter.com/RK0AsLg9Q4

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 4, 2021

And here are our 13 favourite reactions.

1.

All those Tory MPs who are now going to vote for Owen Paterson to be suspended must be livid with their actual selves who voted for him to not be suspended yesterday.

— David Schneider (@davidschneider) November 4, 2021

2.

Truly epic scenes as the horrors of yesterday have just been binned at the despatch box by Jacob Rees-Mogg. Not even a u-turn. They’ve just slammed the car into reverse and are now slaloming backwards down the motorway to absolutely any exit that will do.

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) November 4, 2021

3.

Dear Tory MPs,

Next time Boris Johnson asks you to go to bat for something you know is wrong…

Like withholding kid’s meals, pumping sewage into our rivers, or propping up a corrupt MP…

Just remember he’ll U-turn and leave you hanging like fools when the public outcry comes.

— Dr Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) November 4, 2021

4.

Quite extraordinary to hear Mogg say that he "fears last night debate conflated the individual case with the general concern". It was a motion on Paterson. Mogg largely ignored it and focused all his attention on the amendment for stitching-up the standards system.

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) November 4, 2021

5.

Yesterday feels to me like Johnson’s Black Wednesday. The beginning of the end and no coming back.

— Peter Oborne (@OborneTweets) November 4, 2021

6.

And now Johnson and Rees-Mogg have backed down. After strong-arming their MPs into voting for that shameful proposition yesterday. Hard to know who to feel more contempt for – the Tory MPs who’ll vote for anything they are told to or their incompetent and amoral leaders. https://t.co/Sc3OblJU5R

— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) November 4, 2021

7.

This has echoes of when Boris Johnson decided he wouldn't self-isolate when pinged by the coronavirus app only to launch a screeching u-turn hours later.

Maybe his political instincts are not quite as great as some say they are?

— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) November 4, 2021

8.

UPDATE: Govt performs screeching humiliating U-turn & abandons this shameful attempt to protect sleaze.
But the intent was there – and once again shows how little Boris Johnson cares for democracy and rule of law. https://t.co/Lid48LH1pH

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 4, 2021

9.

World Cup of humiliating Tory U-turns. Pick your favourite for the next round.

— David Schneider (@davidschneider) November 4, 2021

10.

Government by vibes!!

— Alan White (@aljwhite) November 4, 2021

11.

How are we describing this u-turn? Oven-ready? World-beating?

— Robin Flavell (@RobinFlavell) November 4, 2021

12.

Jacob Rees-Mogg displaying all the political elan of a top-hatted weasel chasing his own tail.

— Otto English (@Otto_English) November 4, 2021

13.

The government need to understand that U-Turns this quick are not always great for writers of political satire. https://t.co/rwIm9VZrTC

— Rosie Holt (@RosieisaHolt) November 4, 2021

To conclude …

UK government: pic.twitter.com/7uvCj4GLu0

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) November 4, 2021

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Tory MPs vote to overhaul the standards that saw Owen Paterson found guilty of lobbying