Boris Johnson has always been talented at catching the nation’s attention and proved to be extra savvy in that area this week.

Debate continues over his actions during lockdown – was he ignorant about attending Downing Street parties, or should we focus on what he has achieved during his tenure? Readers have divided opinions – share your views below.

■ Boris Johnson faced a stormy three-hour barbecue on Wednesday over whether he lied about Partygate – and insisted any Downing Street event during lockdown was necessary.

The former prime minister has had several bad-tempered altercations with the seven-strong panel of MPs who will decide his fate.

When asked about a photo showing multiple bottles of alcohol at No. 10, Johnson told the Privileges Committee, “It’s customary to say goodbye to people in this country with a toast.”

Did this arrogant and ignorant former leader of the country even consider the large number of people who have lost loved ones due to Covid and who have never been able to say goodbye to close family members, let alone work colleagues? David, Prestwich

■ To Robert Hughes (Reported MediasTalk, Wednesday), who says Johnson’s legacy is toxic, and other like-minded Boris Bashers. You are obviously totally politically motivated and do not mention all the achievements of this unconventional man.

And with the Boris quotes you have provided, such as his comment that a Libyan town could be turned into a luxury resort once the bodies are removed, I am even more convinced that he is a man of humor and has the guts to say what many say only dare to think. I’d rather have someone lively like Boris than a bright jerk.

So let’s move on. Yes, many mistakes were made during Covid, notably the lockdowns which wanted to prevent NHS logjams but ensured the virus lasted longer. But if you remember, we followed the policies of other countries.

Also, can the correspondents be honest please. Is there anyone who has followed the ridiculous Covid rules to the letter? Colonel Blake, Ealing

■ Boris is an adult, he should know good behavior from bad. During the lockdown, company meetings were held remotely on Zoom, families and individuals maintained social distancing and people died without loved ones by their side.

Boris listened to then Health Secretary Matt Hancock, as did voters. I could show a little respect to Johnson if he wholeheartedly admitted that he made a grave mistake in his governance at that point and apologized to the electorate. Lesley, Derbyshire

■ No, Boris Johnson, civil servants do not need alcohol at retirement parties just because it is ‘customary’. At an NHS farewell party, you’re lucky to get a cup of tea and a piece of cake. NHS workers, via text message

■ Johnson’s narcissistic demeanor before the committee made me wince with embarrassment. I voted for that charlatan once and I am ashamed that I was once stupid enough to do so. Scott, West London

■ Johnson was warned not to claim that all Covid guidelines had been followed at Lockdown No 10 gatherings, but still issued a denial, according to written evidence to the Privileges Committee.

Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, “asked whether, given the nature of the work environment in #10, it was realistic to claim that all policies were followed at all times.”

Reynolds said Johnson agreed to delete the reference to “all guidance.”

Boris then moves on to the prime minister’s questions – he feels the overconfidence of someone who has always struggled through difficult situations – and goes on to deny responsibility for the parties, referring to guidance.

Is that frivolity? is it stupid Is it frivolity? Is it all three and more Philip, Manchester

■ I want to go back to work. I know what the word “party” means. Minister of English would be ideal. Eddie Peart, Rotherham

■ Neither Boris Johnson nor the Privileges Committee dealt a decisive blow to the other. Therefore, the only significant event was the disruption of the process of voting on the Windsor Framework post-Brexit legal deal, in which Boris voted against the government he once led, as did another former PM, Liz Truss.

I was disappointed in these two but pleased that Rishi Sunak and former Prime Minister Theresa May voted in favour. Andrew Edwards Islington

■ Was it convenient or intentional that Rishi Sunak disclosed his stunning tax returns (subway, Thurs) just as Boris Johnson was being questioned about Partygate?

This from the polished plutocrat who boasts of changing funding formulas to funnel money to the wealthiest parts of the UK and knows no working-class people.

Rishi’s family fortune is built on an economic model based on boundless wealth and precarious poverty. No doubt he is very comfortable with the UK’s growing wealth inequality. William, Sheffield

■ Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker said Johnson risked looking like a ‘pound shop Nigel Farage’ by voting against the Windsor Framework (Reported Medias, Thu).

Regarding the insult, Jacob Rees-Mogg later said, “I’d like to be Nigel Farages’ Woolworths.”

Doesn’t Mr Rees-Mogg realize that Woolworths has gone out of business in the UK? Simon, Haslemere

And also

■ In reply to Veronyca (Reported MediasTalk, Thu) who challenged my comments on changing attitudes towards mental health. What I meant by that was to highlight the fallacy that in the past people just “moved on” when faced with difficulties and that mental health problems are a modern invention.

It was always there, but there was no outlet or support for people. So addiction was an outlet for many – drugs, alcohol or gambling. A previous letter writer had said that any problem was “just taken care of” – but that doesn’t recognize that people have had to endure narrow-mindedness.

How easy it is to say that everyone just moved on. The lack of empathy they showed was the point of my letter. Joe, via email

■ Lorraine (subway, Tue) is shocked that a Spanish company wants to set up the world’s first octopus farm, raise a million of these creatures and slaughter them in -3°C water. Mankind’s propensity for barbaric deeds has a long and hot history. As animals ourselves, we simply do to animals what they would do to us if the evolutionary boot were on the other foot. Mary, via email

■ Those Reported MediasTalk correspondents who want a republic rather than a monarchy would do well to remember what happened to countries that became republics in recent history: China, Russia, Germany, Spain, and Italy, um to begin with. John C. Kent, Fulham

Begin an SMS with VIEWS followed by your comment, name and city to 65700. Standard network charges apply. Or E-Mail [email protected] Medias.co.uk. Full Terms and Conditions on Reported Medias.co.uk/terms. Reported Medias is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organization. Comments may be edited for legality, clarity or space reasons.

North Korea has tested a new underwater nuclear weapons system, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

On Friday local time, the nation conducted the tests led by leader Kim Jong-un.

Some reports have described how the tests were involved Nuclear attack under water ‘Drone’.

Cruise missiles were also shot down during the weapons test and firing practice, which took place Tuesday through Thursday.

It comes just over a week after the state agency said North Korea fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine earlier this month.

“Strategic” is typically used for weapons that have nuclear capabilities, with the KCNA saying testing shows the missiles are reliable.

The submarine units are part of North Korea’s broader nuclear deterrent.

Pyongyang has stepped up its nuclear saber-rattling in recent months.

Just last Sunday North Korea fires a short-range ballistic missile into the sea east of the Korean Peninsula.

Some world leaders, including the US, Japan and South Korea, were not happy about the launch and saw it as a provocation.

They feared the missile’s range — a sweeping range of 500 miles — suggested South Korea could be a target of the weapon.

And just days earlier, North Korea shot down the country’s “monster missile” known as the Hwasong.

Jong-un has been known to oversee the launches personally, sometimes accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae. because nothing says father-daughter time like a rocket launch.

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university Manchester Students who have been “pulled” off campus by bailiffs after striking over rent have refused to “give in”.

Since February 13, the students have been living in the Simon building, which houses facilities such as lecture halls, laboratories and personnel offices.

All withheld their rent payments due to the Cost of Living Crisiswith a growing proportion facing increasing financial and emotional strain.

The students in the “UoM Rent Strike” group called for a 30 percent reduction in dorm rents and a three-year rent freeze.

Bailiffs, strikers have said for weeks, are the only way they will ever leave.

That became a reality early yesterday when footage shared with Reported Medias.co.uk shows officers carrying people by the arms and legs.

After receiving an order from the Manchester High Court on Monday, the university notified the occupiers on Tuesday, before bailiffs were sent to evict the 16 students.

Dylan Taylor, 20, a second-year law student, was among those watching as his friends were dragged by High Court officials.

He would know – he was one of the first to be taken away.

“The atmosphere was intense from the start. We had 15 bailiffs who basically barged into the room without bothering to warn us before they got in. Waking everyone up — it was about 5 a.m.,” he said.

“But the students in the building really came together. We sort of huddled together, chatted, really digested the situation and responded in tune with it.

“We made the spur of the moment decision to stay – we thought it was worth showing the uni that, as protesters, we will not back down lightly from this aggression.”

Dylan said it was “nerve-wracking” when the bailiffs first stepped in and a High Court enforcement officer gave them their “first warning”.

As a law student, Dylan raised an eyebrow at exactly what that meant.

“That seemed to frustrate him even more,” Dylan claimed. “He didn’t choose to communicate with us at all, he just said, ‘You’re on your second warning’.”

Dylan responded by sitting cross-legged on the ground and saying, “He got security to carry me out first, but I think that just showed the other occupiers that it was okay.”

The student added: “So when they started pulling us out, there was a lot of solidarity between them. It was tense, but we did our best to support each other. Fortunatly nobody was hurt.

“I think we sent a very clear message about what the university is willing to do to protesters in their ignorance of what issues are really affecting students’ lives.”

A University of Manchester spokesman said: “High Court officials visited the Simon building on Wednesday morning to enforce a court order against a small group of students who had been illegally occupying rooms there since 13 February 2023.

“This action follows multiple orders for residents of the building to leave the building and court hearing documents served to residents on March 15, 2023.

“The court issued a possession order to the university on Monday and copies of the order were served to the occupiers.

“We deeply regret having to do this, but the situation has been going on for some time and has caused ongoing disruption to students and people working in the building.”

The university has offered a “huge amount” of welfare and support services, with wellbeing “driving many of our core initiatives,” he added.

University of Manchester registrar, secretary and chief operating officer Patrick Hackett said the college acknowledged the difficulties surrounding student accommodation and said the 2.8% increase in the government’s maintenance loan was “insufficient”.

But as food costs rise for students with little or no income, Dylan described how the situation has become “unsustainable.”

“Students have to make a choice: ‘Do I do two jobs and try to study anyway, or do I sacrifice my ability to learn to live?'” he said, adding that he ‘is bearing the brunt of the cost of ‘the living crisis’ itself.

“I would say it really hurt my ability to engage academically, which it did for most students,” he said.

A Opinion poll The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found in November that half of all students in England were facing financial difficulties. A third skipped class to save money, and a quarter got into debt.

The sight of students sneaking in for a beer (or two) after class these days isn’t so much a rite of passage as it is a decision, said Dylan, who has a part-time job.

“Your choice is either the bus to uni or a pint with your buddies,” he said.

Great Britain The inflation rate rose last month to 10.4% in Februarywith food prices rising by 18% – the highest level in more than 45 years.

“When shifts come that contradict my classes, I pick the shifts because I need the money,” Dylan said. “I can’t give a number or explain how this is affecting my education.

‘But I think it’s obvious. I lack valuable material for my studies because I can’t afford to live.’

What the striking students see as the “ridiculously high rent” the university is charging for dormitories isn’t helping, they say.

In January, more than 350 students withheld their rent before taking over a number of campus properties including the MECD, Samuel Alexander and the John Owens Building.

They also asked for a refund of 30% of rent and 40% of dormitories to meet the National Union of Students’ definition of affordability, which accounts for half of the top student living loan.

After being evicted from the three buildings in just a few days, the students soon settled in the Simon building.

For weeks, it became something of a “commune,” Dylan said, with donated food always on the table and even hosting movie nights.

“I know I’m not just speaking for myself when I say it was a really beautiful area that we will all miss,” he said.

Despite being evicted, Dylan said he and his fellow strikers had “no plans to quit” as the eviction “doesn’t mean our problems are solved”.

“It’s ironic because in Monday’s court hearing we were told by the judge that it would be bad for the judiciary if we didn’t try to do something and that’s one of the reasons they enforced the writ of possession,” he said .

Just before the university issued their order, the judge said, laughing, “If they didn’t try to fill elsewhere, that wouldn’t be a very good protest.”

Dylan said the students would continue the rent strike until the second rent payment on April 20, when they hope to have more than 1,000 students in attendance.

“We plan more rent strikes and emphasize that the conditions the university has promoted are unsustainable,” Dylan said.

“Students should be able to live the life they have been promised and deserve.”

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