ATCalculated, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged this Wednesday, January 12 in front of the deputies his presence at a party in Downing Street in full containment in 2020. At that time, in full first wave of Covid-19, only two people were authorized to find themselves outdoors and many Britons were unable to say goodbye to their dying loved ones, hence the extent of the anger provoked by this event to which more than 100 people were reportedly invited with instructions to bring a drink. The head of the Conservative government maintained that he believed the event of May 20, 2020 in the gardens of his official residence was a working meeting.
Boris Johnson explained that he should have considered that, if the event could “technically” be considered as being within the rules, the perception of the British, prevented from meeting their relatives, could be quite different. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart,” he said, claiming to take “responsibility” for the “mistakes” that were made.
“Bring your bottles”
According to ITV News, around 100 people were invited to another party at 10 Downing Street, via an email sent by Boris Johnson’s chief private secretary, Martin Reynolds, on May 20. “Bring your bottles,” the email concluded. The invitation was to “take advantage of the good weather” during a drink “with social distancing” in the gardens of the Prime Minister’s residence “after an incredibly busy period”. It had the effect of a bomb as an internal investigation is already looking into parties that would have been organized in December 2020 in circles of power. And comes on top of a series of scandals that are pushing part of public opinion to turn against the 57-year-old conservative leader, triumphantly elected just over two years ago.
Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer called for the Prime Minister’s resignation on Wednesday. “His defense of saying he didn’t know he was at a party is so ridiculous it’s actually insulting to the British public,” he said in the weekly question-and-answer session at the government. “Will he now have the decency to resign?” “He added, accusing the conservative leader of” lying like a tooth puller “.
READ ALSOMr Johnson’s Calamitous Christmas
The revelation of the holiday by the media angered the families of victims of the pandemic, which has claimed more than 150,000 lives in the United Kingdom. On the day of the supposed celebration, 363 deaths of people infected with Covid-19 were recorded. Hannah Brady, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said in a statement it made her “sick” to think Downing Street workers “had partied” days after the death of her father, when she hadn’t even had the right to hug her friends. Health Secretary Ed Argar admitted on television on Tuesday that he understood people to feel “angry”.
“Stop lying”
“Johnson loses Tory support”, headlines the Conservative on Wednesday Daily Telegraph, highlighting in particular the call for the resignation launched by the leader of the party in Scotland, Douglas Ross, if it turns out that Boris Johnson has broken the rules and cheated the Parliament. The popular Daily Mail wonders if “the party is over for the Prime Minister”, stressing that the conservative leader is going through the most serious crisis since coming to power in July 2019. On the left, the Guardian also relayed the anger of Conservative MPs against their leader, who urged him to be transparent and to apologize.
READ ALSOThe ten scandals of the year 2021
This affair embarrasses the head of government, whose reputation has already been tarnished by suspicion of lies about the financing of the luxurious renovation of his official apartment, the awarding of contracts between friends during the pandemic or even accusations of favoritism. to generous Conservative Party donors.For now, the charismatic leader with the tousled blonde hair insists on the success of the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 or the achievement of Brexit which had seduced the working classes usually won over to Labor in the north of England. But, for Labor MP Ed Miliband, “his position is very difficult.” “How can he lead the country through these trying times, get people to follow public health advice if he’s broken the rules so blatantly?” »He asks himself.
Affected by these scandals which tarnished his image as a man of the people, the popularity of Boris Johnson has plummeted in recent months: 71% of those questioned thought he was a bad prime minister, according to a YouGov poll on December 20. Within his party, nearly half (46%) believe that Finance Minister Rishi Sunak would make a better prime minister, according to a study by the same polling institute for SkyNews revealed on Sunday. To overthrow it, a vote of no confidence within the Conservative Party would suffice.