We grew up with parental soundbites that many of us repeat to this day, despite not really understanding what they mean. ‘Eat your greens: they will put hairs on your chest’ or ‘do as I say, not as I do’, which can roughly be translated as ‘one rule for them, another for us’. In the past week or two, those who should be leading by example have again flattered to deceive. Not only that, but they continue to bluster: offering a belated uncontrite apology while continuing to justify their wrongdoing.

First we have Boris Johnson, who has lost his sheen and then some (he is no longer referred to as ‘Bojo’) by continually lying not only to Parliament, but the public. If he were a female politician, he would have been demonised as having ‘loose morals’ many years ago and would not find himself having risen to the rank of lead lunatic in the asylum. Having attended a party in 2020 which wasn’t a party, but may have been, despite it being daytime, and hence was a work meeting, in a sunny garden where 100 people were invited to BYO booze, he still refuses to lie on his sword.

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ONE EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO SALES. NO ARCHIVING. NO ALTERING OR MANIPULATING. NO USE ON SOCIAL MEDIA UNLESS AGREED BY HOC PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE. MANDATORY CREDIT: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor Handout photo issued by UK Parliament of Prime Minister Boris

He genuinely believes he is made of Teflon. Yes, what he has done is awful (to many of us it's more the lying than the attending of the party) as loved ones were banned from seeing dying relatives, watching their children being born, or visiting elderly relatives succumbing to Covid.

Dreadful, yes, but in the great scheme of things it's not Blair taking us into wars that caused thousands of deaths, or the unseating of entire civilisations, despite those who used to proclaim his messiah-esque teachings not admitting any semblance of guilt having lorded the beast in previous years with blinding devotion.

Like Blair, Johnson is a prime example of a ‘leader’ who views themselves as being morally and intellectually superior, despite evidence to the contrary. Personally, I have always found Boris rather amusing, but there comes a point when the lollygagging must stop as the joke is no longer funny, and it's fair to say we reached that stage many months ago.

And then we have Prince Andrew: many of us are satisfied that someone has finally brought him to task, in the form of Virginia Giuffre.

The Duke of York. Photo: PA

The Duke of York. Photo: PA

Having embroiled himself with the Epsteins and Maxwells of this world, he attempted to distance himself from revelations in an ill-fated interview with Emily Maitless in which he most notably claimed he couldn’t sweat, before claiming he took a four-day holiday to Epstein’s townhouse in New York to break off their friendship, like you do.

But now justice is finally catching up with him. The Queen has stripped him of his patronages and HRH title as he continues to attempt to wriggle off the hook as he denies meeting a young lady with whom he was pictured holding her bare midriff.

There is nowhere for him to go now, but, as with Boris, the actions have been left until the last minute as they believe they are above all this: of being held to account by commoners and that, by saying nothing, it will all just die away

And then finally, just when our supposed leaders and role models could not, within the space of a week or so, get anymore shifty or economical with the truth, Novak Djokovic attempts to get into Australia after previously testing positive for Covid and then believing it was safe to go and visit some young fans the next day.

Novak Djokovic. Photo: PA

Novak Djokovic. Photo: PA

It’s the arrogance that grates. This arrogance extends to Mr Djokovic’s father, who compared his son to the Messiah: "Jesus was crucified. Novak is also crucified. He will endure."

It’s the notion that he could do no wrong and the incredulous attitude that leaves a nasty taste. Well, those days are over. You have been bought to task by the media, which continues to prove its worth. There is only so much the people are prepared to take and, by continuing to lie and bluster, all you do is alienate the general populace.

In the words of Lennon: "All we want is the truth…just give me some truth", which stands today as much as it did when written over a half century ago.

  • Brett Ellis is a teacher