When he's good, he's really good, but when he's bad' he's horrid

Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard. (Image: Archant)

The Partygate saga brings to mind two American sayings. "The person who never made a mistake never made anything" and secondly "you can tell pioneers by the number of arrows in their rear". Both seem relevant to Partygate.

But another saying comes to mind "let whoever is without blemish cast the first stone". There is no doubt he will resign or be made to resign, that is the next step for any Prime Minister, whether soon or in the distant future.

Anger is a natural part of the bereavement cycle and understandable from the loss of loved ones during the early lockdown.

There was a major failing of Boris Johnson's government allowing the NHS to dump people into care homes without adequate provision.

The actual staff did an amazing job and still do, but the care system had always been poorly funded over several previous governments and still is.

"Partygate" is a different issue, not the first time a top director has proved poor at the detailed management of staff.

Directors good at detailed staff management are often poor at strategic policies.

Parties were definitely wrong, but pent up anger should be redirected into improving support for the whole of the care sector.

This is badly needed now and may become critical again. 'Monkeypox' reminds us that surprises can happen.

Brexit, leaving the EU, was Boris Johnson's first project, for which there were and still are objectors.

However, the UK would not have been able to take the lead in supporting the Ukraine if our hands were tied by EU foreign policy, while the United States is not exactly providing barnstorming leadership.

The Coronavirus pandemic was brand new for everyone.

Under Boris's leadership there were some things done right and some wrong.

Throwing money at the pharmaceutical industry made the UK a leader in producing vaccines and in getting vaccinations rolled out.

Throwing money at people who claimed to provide PPE in short order was not so successful.

Moving people prematurely out of hospitals into care homes was an absolute disaster. The anger of bereaved families who suffered Covid-19 deaths is quite understandable.

The UK has been vociferous in condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and has been the leader in supplying defensive weapons, making a big difference.

We now have mutual defence pacts with Finland and Sweden as well as contributing to NATO support in the Baltic.

The overwhelming support for the Ukraine among the British electorate was shown by the unusual total consensus in Parliament. Boris got that one right.

The Northern Ireland protocol has always been a mystery to me.

With an open border in the island of Ireland and the EU desperate to prevent proper sausages and pork pies flowing into France and Spain, there obviously should be controls between Ireland and the continent.

Putting the barrier in the North Sea seemed designed to put pressure for Northern Ireland to join the Republic.

Sinn Fein may be the largest single party in the NI Assembly, but they only have a minority of seats.

The US congress supports their own Irish American voters, just as they support Israel to win over their Jewish voters, but it doesn't make them right.

Do we pillory Boris for what he got wrong, praise him for what he got right, or let someone else have a turn? We could do all three.