"It is awful for the 6 children and 2 spouses but"
Not sure about the 'but' bit.
The more I think about it, the more I think this all ultimately reflects badly on Boris.
Call me old fashioned, (and I know the stage doesn't have exactly the same props), but times used to be an 'employer' would look out for the interests of their staff and their families - who they often met or dined with - and intervene in a crisis to spare them as much embarrassment as possible, even if that necessitated a quiet chat behind closed doors and a strong push for them to resign for their own good.
The PM is not an employer as such, but there's a certain duty of care. Even the Queen said 'poor man' in acknowledgement of the stress placed on MH shoulders. She expressed pity and concern for a member of her cabinet.
Boris tried to intimate that that was what he effectively did. That he balanced the outrage of the nation with his responsibility to push MH to resign and therefore withheld firing him ostensibly so as not to do mob justice.
He neither fools anyone with an IQ above 50, or comes out looking in charge. In fact it looks rather like no one in his cabinet respects him, no one fears his ire, and they run around doing what they want. And crucially, Boris is aware of it and the dodgy dealings but feels his hands are tied and he can't take action. Carrie has to step in because he can't or is afraid to.
So the devastation is huge for the families concerned because no decisive action was taken earlier. It didn't have to be that way for the innocent parties.
People saying 'well they brought it on themselves, why should we care when they didn't' Because people sometimes do utterly stupid things (especially where sex is concerned) and it takes others around them with decency to point out that they are on a path to ruin.
I don't feel great about what this case says about all the individuals in cabinet. Clearly it's a snake pit where loose morals can reign and no one looks out for the best interests of anyone else. Only mercenary motives 'I scratch your back, you scratch mine' appear to be a motivator.
I honestly don't think things would have borne out this way for G&H with Teresa May in charge. I think getting whiff of the scale of the affair, she would have taken the earlier opportunity after the debacle of the care homes as an opportunity handed to her on a plate, to discreetly tell him his position had altogether become untenable and she fully expects his resignation, thus sparing everyone this awful scenario.