Facts

When asked by Radio 5 Live presenter Nicky Campbell whether Boris Johnson “had brought honesty to politics”, Nadhim Zahawi said “I think he has brought honesty, he has brought passion, he has brought commitment to politics.”

We wrote to Nadhim Zahawi asking him what evidence he had to substantiate his claim that the Prime Minister had “brought honesty [and] commitment” to politics. We are still awaiting a response. 

In the September reshuffle, Nadhim Zahawi was promoted into the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Education. 

Verdict

This website documents scores of lies, broken promises and misleading statements made by the Prime Minister, many on the floor of the House of Commons. Zahawi’s claim that Boris Johnson had brought honesty to politics was absurd.  As a serving minister who wished to remain in the government, he may have felt he had little choice but to damage his own integrity and record his belief that Johnson was honest. 

This Radio Five Live encounter shows the wider problems of having a persistent and proven liar as Prime Minister: Boris Johnson contaminates all around him. As for Nadhim Zakawi, he should feel ashamed of himself for making a statement that so obviously conflicts with the truth. 

When we wrote to Nadhim Zahawi asking him what evidence he had to substantiate his claim that the Prime Minister had “brought honesty [and] commitment” to politics he did not reply.