Boris Johnson will fight against the “underlying culture” in Downing Street that allowed several parties in full confinement, said one of his ministers this Sunday, at a time when the British head of government is trying to recover his image after the nosedive in his popularity.
(Read here: Scandals lead to a crisis in the British monarchy and government)
Accused by the opposition of “breaking the law”, Johnson will announce measures that include the prohibition of alcohol consumption in the Downing Street offices, as well as the dismissal of several of his collaborators, according to the Sunday Times.
(Also: Boris Johnson’s government party list during lockdown)
“I can assure you that the prime minister is very remorseful and deeply regrets what happened,” Oliver Dowden, a minister without portfolio in his cabinet and chairman of the Conservative Party, told the BBC, when asked about the parties.
“But more importantly, he is determined to ensure this does not happen and that we address the underlying culture in Downing Street,” he added.
A high official, Sue Gray, is investigating a series of festive episodes revealed by the media, held at her residence in Downing Street, which is also his workplace.
On Wednesday, Johnson apologized to MPs in the House of Commons, but new revelations have continued to surface since then, such as the continuation of “Friday drinks” in Downing Street during the pandemic, despite restrictions that prohibited such meetings.
On Sunday, The Daily Telegraph published on its front page a photograph of the prime minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, hugging a friend at a party held in September 2020, in apparent breach of social distancing in force at the time.
Mrs. Johnson regretted that episode through a spokesperson. Dowden said that once Gray’s report is delivered, Johnson will take “full responsibility.” Apologizing before Parliament on Wednesday, Boris Johnson admitted his attendance at one of those parties, in May 2020, although he believed then that it was a work meeting.
I have regretfully come to the conclusion that Boris Johnson’s position is now untenable, that his resignation is the only way to bring this whole unfortunate episode to an end and I am working with colleagues to impress that view on Number 10.https://t.co/HhjiUHVpPW
— Tim Loughton MP (@timloughton) January 15, 2022
The Conservative leader fights for his political survival, but outrage grows, even among Conservatives. At least six deputies Tories publicly announced that they had requested a motion of censure against him, including Tim Loughton, who highlighted on Twitter that his position is “untenable.”
“His resignation is the only way to put an end to this sad episode and I am working with other colleagues to make our point of view clear at Downing Street,” he wrote in his tweet.
To achieve his dismissal, it would be necessary for 54 ‘Tory’ legislators to approve said motion. One of them, Andrew Bridgen, claimed that Johnson had “lost his moral high ground”.
His co-religionist Tobias Ellwood stressed that if Johnson was unable to lead by example, he should stand down. And numerous Conservative MPs reported receiving mountains of messages from disgruntled voters. Johnson has already launched a counteroffensive.
according to media British, the leader urged his supporters to praise his achievements, such as the fulfillment of the Brexit, in addition to asking some collaborators to leave their positions.
The leader of the Labor opposition, Keir Starmer, once again demanded Johnson’s departure, in the name of “national interest” According to two opinion polls published this week, Labor would take a 10-point advantage in voting intentions over the Conservatives, after the revelations of partygate.
This scandal has eroded Boris Johnson’s popularity with his electorate, made up of traditional Conservatives and members of the pro-Brexit working class.
According to an Opinium poll for the newspaper The ObserveAs published this Sunday, 46 percent of pro-Brexit voters who voted for the Conservative Party in 2019 think Johnson should resign, while 39 percent want him to stay in office.
But, his popularity rating is experiencing its lowest hours, with 64 percent of unfavorable opinions. To make it come back, the prime minister could, in addition to the measures that concern Downing Street, announce the lifting of the restrictions linked to covid-19 in England on January 26, a measure favored by the decrease in the number of infections.AFP
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