https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/carrie-johnson-admits-breaking-covid-25958722

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Carrie Johnson has admitted breaking Covid rules after a photograph emerged of her hugging a friend at an engagement party.

"Mrs Johnson regrets the momentary lapse in judgement in briefly hugging her friend for a photograph."

A survey by Opinium put Labour on 41% of the vote share, with the Conservatives on 31%. The polling company said Mr Johnson's approval rating had plummeted to minus 42% - almost a 20 point fall in a week - and that almost two-thirds of people surveyed thought he should stand down.

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Early reports were that Downing Street intended to dismiss this breaking of rules by playing their 'having their cake and eating it' card.

The plan was, surprisingly, to tell the truth. To point out that the rules broken were not legal requirements just guidance despite insisting they needed to be followed with fines being handed out to those who did not follow them.

That was poised to cause some real backlash as people realised they had been fined and criminalised for breaking laws which were not actual laws.

I said at the time people were being stupid in admitting guilt where there was none, but they made their bed and there's little they can do about it now. But it won't stop them being angry as they finally realise they had been suckered by Johnson.

It is possible Downing Street will still make that play but most people will see it as final proof that it's one rule for them and another for the rest of us.

I expect the half-apology will stand for now to get the heat off Johnson, but the official inquiry will fall back on she did nothing illegal, nothing wrong, to excuse what happened.