In the UK, government parties continue to cause a stir during the lockdown. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denied allegations by a former adviser that he made false statements. When asked by journalists whether he had lied to the British people and Parliament, Johnson replied: “No.” Nobody informed him that the party in question at the end of May 2020 violated corona requirements.
Johnson said he assumed it was a work meeting. He dodged questions about resigning.
Recently there have been more and more reports of parties despite the current corona restrictions, which increases the pressure on Johnson. Last week he apologized in Parliament for a garden party in Downing Street on May 20, 2020. He assumed it was a work meeting. He took part in it for 25 minutes to thank the employees.
His former advisor Dominic Cummings contradicted this description. He and at least one other advisor tried to stop the controversial party. You would have warned Johnson’s private secretary Martin Reynolds, who had invited to the garden party in an email. They would have emailed Reynolds that the party would break Corona rules. It should therefore not take place. Johnson, on the other hand, agreed, Cummings wrote on his blog. Cummings is considered one of the architects of the British exit from the EU (Brexit). He resigned in dispute in November 2020.
Recent scandals have slumped approval ratings for Johnson’s Conservatives. Johnson even had to apologize to Queen Elizabeth. There had been reports of other parties in April 2021, which were not only celebrated despite restrictions, but also on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband. Because of the rules in force at the time, the Queen sat alone in a row of pews at the funeral service in St George’s Chapel. He deeply regrets that the parties took place, Johnson said on Tuesday.
In the course of the revelations, the calls for Johnson’s resignation are getting louder – even within his own ranks. Johnson and numerous cabinet members dodged questions about it. They point to an internal investigation by senior official Sue Gray. First, the results should be awaited, said Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. He believes Johnson. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab called it nonsense to assume that Johnson lied.
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