Podcast Summary: Nudge with Phil Agnew

Episode: Why did Partygate Make Voters so Angry?

Release Date: October 13, 2025
Guest: Dr. Michael Hallsworth (Chief Behavioural Scientist, Behavioural Insights Team)

Overview

In this episode, Phil Agnew explores the psychological forces behind the public fury over the "Partygate" scandal, in which then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his team were found to have violated the very COVID-19 restrictions they imposed on the UK public. Featuring expert insights from Dr. Michael Hallsworth, the conversation dives into why hypocrisy triggers such intense anger, the science behind our reactions, and surprising research revealing that hypocrisy isn’t always judged harshly.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Scandal: What Happened and Why It Mattered

• Boris Johnson was fined for attending a gathering during strict lockdown, violating government-set COVID rules (00:00–01:00).
• Public outrage was fueled by the sense of hypocrisy—a leader breaking their own rules, while ordinary people suffered and sacrificed.
• Michael Hallsworth:

  “It shows the power of hypocrisy. It actually brought down the Prime Minister.” (01:00)

  “People thought the sacrifices that they had made... and they felt kind of cheated because... the rules were not being applied equally.” (01:35)

Memorable Quote:

Boris Johnson:

“I understand the anger that many will feel that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules which the government I lead had introduced to protect the public.” (01:07, 10:10)

The Psychology of Hypocrisy

• Our sensitivity to hypocrisy is intuitive and emerges early—even children can spot it.
  • Michael shares a telling anecdote about his daughter comparing adults sneaking Christmas pudding after telling her not to, to Boris Johnson’s behaviour. (04:30)
• Research: People label even mild inconsistency as hypocrisy.
  • Example: A woman unsure if eating meat is wrong (but still eats a burger) was rated “moderately hypocritical.” (05:04)
• The “hypocrisy trap”:

  “The real trap is when our criticisms of hypocrisy run out of control… Being human involves being inconsistent. Sometimes if we try to push too much for complete consistency, complete purity, we end up demanding a rigid, inhuman consistency...” (05:41)

Notable Study:

• 2013: Nearly half thought it was hypocritical for a man to rent an adult film in the afternoon and later help at a church bake sale—regardless of any explicit stance. (06:15)

Why Do We Hate Hypocrites So Much?

• Social Status Motivation:

  • Calling out hypocrisy “turns the tables,” lowering the perceived status of the hypocrite and boosting the accuser’s own standing.

  “When we expose that person as a hypocrite... their social status falls down and we kind of rise to become the justified accusers.” (09:44)

• Schadenfreude:

  “When a hypocrite is exposed, it really creates some schadenfreude in us, you know, our enjoyment in other people's misfortune.” (07:23)

  • We especially enjoy it when the hypocrisy matches precisely what the person condemned in others.

• Matching Specifics Intensifies Satisfaction:

  • Example: A student moralising about plagiarism caught plagiarising is judged far more harshly than if caught for a different offence. (08:27)

Hypocrisy in Business and Politics: Real-World Impact

• Hypocrisy amplifies outrage and calls for punishment:
  • Study: Companies making claims about environmental care are punished more harshly when caught polluting, compared to companies that made no such claims. (06:50)
• Volkswagen example:
  • The public was especially outraged because the company first boasted about its environmental ethics then was caught cheating emissions tests.

  “Preaching and then not practising is seen as a lot worse than not practising and then preaching.” (22:49)

  • The sequence of behaviour matters: Bad acts after good claims look like fraud; whereas, claims after bad acts can be interpreted as redemption. (21:24–22:01)

When Hypocrisy Isn't So Bad

• Sometimes, hypocrisy can actually make people more likable or relatable:

  “...in some scenarios, we actually prefer hypocrites.” (10:19)

  • Study: The Ashley Madison founder was seen as more praiseworthy when privately faithful but publicly promoted affairs—because principles can matter more than consistency. (10:40)

• Compromise and relatability:

  • Example: Overweight doctors offering fitness advice might be more persuasive to overweight patients, as they seem more relatable in their struggle (12:22).
  • Rigid consistency can make people seem alien, less persuasive, or even judgmental (15:35–16:10).

• Principled Hypocrisy Can “Pay Off” in Politics:

  • Paradox: Politicians stating strict moral codes but breaking them are penalised less than those with “flexible” principles who act accordingly. (12:31–14:46)

  “People... would often rather you... have some principles and then violate them, than... you're not sure what they stand for, but then at least they're not hypocritical.” (14:04)

The Social Function and Danger of Hypocrisy

• Hypocrisy is sometimes a false signal, used to climb the status ladder.

  • Example: Condemning illegal downloading, then admitting to do it, is honest hypocrisy (less judged); but condemning and hiding your own actions is more serious. (17:15–18:38)

  “When people saw that version of Becky, they judged her no more harshly than if she said nothing at all. So taking away that deceptive false signal removes the penalty.” (18:38)

• Difference between lying and hypocrisy:

  “Hypocrisy is different from lying because it's about the degree of consistency that you're signalling.” (18:53)

• Order Matters:

  • “Preaching and then not practising is seen as a lot worse than not practising and then preaching.” (22:49)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Michael Hallsworth| “It shows the power of hypocrisy. It actually brought down the Prime Minister.” | | 05:41 | Michael Hallsworth| “The real trap is when our criticisms of hypocrisy run out of control... Sometimes, if we try to push too much for complete consistency, complete purity, we end up demanding a rigid, inhuman consistency...”| | 07:23 | Michael Hallsworth| “When a hypocrite is exposed, it really creates some schadenfreude in us, you know, our enjoyment in other people's misfortune.” | | 09:44 | Michael Hallsworth| “When we expose that person as a hypocrite... their social status falls down and we kind of rise to become the justified accusers.” | | 14:04 | Michael Hallsworth| “People... would often rather you... have some principles and then violate them, than... you're not sure what they stand for, but then at least they're not hypocritical.” | | 22:49 | Michael Hallsworth| “Preaching and then not practising is seen as a lot worse than not practising and then preaching.” |

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:20 | Setting the scene: Boris Johnson and the Partygate scandal | | 04:14 | Introduction of Michael Hallsworth | | 05:04 | Why we are quick to spot (and call out) hypocrisy | | 06:50 | Hypocrisy in business: the pollution and corporate commitment study | | 07:23–10:19 | Why taking down hypocrites is emotionally satisfying | | 10:40 | The Ashley Madison study – when hypocrisy can make people praiseworthy | | 12:22–16:10 | Relatability and compromise: why rigid consistency can be a turn-off | | 17:15–18:47 | Status-seeking, “false signals,” and honest versus deceptive hypocrisy | | 20:05–22:24 | Volkswagen case & why sequence/order of action versus preaching really matters | | 22:49 | Wrap-up and central lesson: why Partygate made voters furious |

Conclusion

Partygate became a lightning rod not just because rules were broken, but because of the deep human resentment of hypocrisy—especially in high-status leaders. Dr. Michael Hallsworth’s research demonstrates that our outrage isn’t just moral: it’s about fairness, status, enjoyment of “just deserts,” and even the order in which events unfold. Yet, we are all a bit hypocritical sometimes, and context—along with transparency, relatability, or even small failings—can actually make individuals more likable or persuasive.
If lessons from this episode resonate, pick up Dr. Hallsworth’s The Hypocrisy Trap for more.

For a deeper dive:

• Check out Michael’s book [The Hypocrisy Trap] and Nudge Podcast's YouTube for more on behavioural science.