Rope-a-dope

  

I've learned a new phrase today, courtesy of Nick Robinson:

“Rope a dope” is clearly Boris Johnson’s new tactic on partygate - he simply absorbed & ignored repeated questions from Sophie Raworth before linking his plight to the Ukraine crisis by insisting he’s lucky to live in a democracy where PMs can face such troubles.

rope-a-dope

NOUN US informal

a boxing tactic of pretending to be trapped against the ropes, goading an opponent to throw tiring ineffective punches

In other news, it's being widely reported that there's a 'very BBC' all-female shortlist developing for Andrew Marr's replacement and Sophie's on it. Nick Robinson himself has stood in for Andrew Marr several times. I'm guessing he might have fancied the job permanently.