It is rare, at least in the British press, for an article in the first edition of a newspaper to literally disappear, like a mirage in the desert. As if it had never existed. But it is what has happened with a story published in The Times (and in the online edition of the Daily Mail ), according to which Boris Johnson, when he was foreign minister in 2018, tried to plug his then-lover and now-wife, Carrie Symonds, in a position in the Foreign Office with an annual salary of 120,000 euros paid by the taxpayer. a scoop.
What happened to the exclusive? The Daily Mail has refused to give any explanation, and The Times has mentioned “legal problems” but without going into any details. Both publications, the former owned by Rupert Murdoch and the latter owned by Alfred Harmsworth, support the Conservative Party. In the circles of the English press it is assured that Downing Street, after seeing the piece published, mobilized and called the owners of the newspapers to ask (or demand) that they withdraw it, if they wanted to continue counting on their trust. Boris Johnson denies having intervened.
The British Prime Minister has been compared to many people, but never to Juan Domingo Perón (although they agree on populism). And Carrie Symonds is no former actress like Evita. But now the Daily Telegraph , another clearly right-wing outlet but disappointed with Johnson’s tax hikes and overall economic policy, has drawn the parallel. The former Argentine president, among many other things, made an effort to get her wife into politics and made her the leader of the female wing of the Peronist party in 1949. And the Tory leader has also sought all kinds of bargains for his current wife, especially in the Environment.
Johnson, as shown in partygate , has a very particular sense of morality, so much so that two advisers for ethical issues have resigned in despair, and the prime minister considers eliminating the position. His cardinal points regarding what is right and what is wrong are sui generis. So it may have seemed normal to him, as foreign minister and married to his second wife, Marina Wheeler, to place a much younger girl, Carrie, who four years ago was a rising figure in the communications department, in his ministry. of the Conservative Party… and her lover (she is now the first lady and has two children with her).
The allegation had originally appeared in a biography of Johnson published by Lord Ashcroft and gone somewhat unnoticed, after all scandals of all kinds surround the Tory leader and one more one less… But The Times delved into his number Saturday in an article on page 5 of the first edition signed by Simon Walters, who had been the political editor of the Daily Mail until he fell out of favor with the latest change in management (the paper has abandoned all critical sense and has become Downing Street cheerleader) and went freelance. But it disappeared from later editions and was never published online (the Daily Mail put it on the web, but not in print).
International media such as The New York Times and British media such as The Guardian , which supports Labour, have echoed the mystery, and present it as a clear example of the control that Johnson exercises over the British right-wing press (and that many media are very critical of partygate, they ask him to change course economically and are disappointed because he has not been able to take advantage of Brexit). But they would do anything and are willing to use all of his influence to prevent Labour’s rise to power.
The article, according to sources in the British press, was well founded. But unlike in the United States and other countries, in a libel or defamation case, the burden of proof falls on the journalist and the media outlet, and they must be the ones to prove that the story is correct. It is possible that The Times and the Daily Mail, intimidated by the Casa Rosada (sorry, Downing Street) lawyers, did not want any further complications.
The Missing Item is a Shakespearean story of love, ambition, intrigue and corruption. Or from a musical. The Argentine actress has hers (Evita) and was idolized by the Argentine working classes. Mrs. Johnson is unlikely to go that far.
