Prime Minister Boris Johnson is more and more isolated after the revelations of several festive events organized in his residence, sometimes in his presence, at the moment when the British were subject to restrictions.
Le Monde with AFP and Reuters
The vice is tightening around Boris Johnson, suspected of breaking the confinement measures taken to combat the COVID epidemic in the United Kingdom. The London Police announced Tuesday 25 January to investigate several holidays organized at Downing Street and within the High Administration during the confines, causing a serious crisis threatening the Prime Minister.
“I can confirm that the Met [London Police] currently investigates on a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall [the street that hosts high administration] over the last two years, In relation to potential violations of the rules related to COVID-19, “said the Cheffe of Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, at a hearing in front of the capital elected officials.
She said that several other “events” had been examined but are considered to not be a criminal investigation. “The fact that we investigated does not mean, of course, that fines will necessarily be issued in each case and for each person involved,” said Cressida Dick.
Birthday party in June 2020
For several weeks, the articles of the press detailing the many confinement sprains in Downing Street in 2020 and 2021 weigh on the popularity rating of the chief of government. Boris Johnson has been defended publicly repeatedly by feeling not having broken rules while apologizing to the British people.
Last revelation dated: The ITV television channel has detailed Monday the organization of a birthday party in honor of Boris Johnson in June 2020 , while the gatherings were strictly prohibited. According to the ITV television channel, the event had collected up to thirty people in the Council Room of 10, Downing Street, Office and Official Residence of the Head of Government in London. “A group of staff working on that day at No. 10 (Downing Street) has briefly gathered within the board room at the end of a meeting to wish the Prime Minister a happy birthday. He has been present less than ten minutes, “said Prime Minister’s services in response to ITV.
Participants offered a birthday cake in Boris Johnson in the presence of his future Wife Carrie, but it was a surprise and nothing had been prepared upstream by the Prime Minister, said the minister Transport, Grant Shapps, Tuesday on the Sky News antenna. “I understand the feeling of concern about this information that we see at one of the newspapers,” he recognized, adding that “mistakes were made”.
The channel also understood that relatives of the family had been received in the Prime Minister’s residence on the night, what Downing Street did. “It’s totally wrong. In accordance with the rules then in force, the Prime Minister has received a small number of family members outside that night,” said ITV spokesperson.
Calls for resignation
The leader of the Labor opposition, Keir Starmer, again claimed the resignation of the Prime Minister “who thinks that the rules he has fixed do not apply to himself”.
The leader of the government has for the moment escaped a vote of distrust of his curator camp and refers to the conclusions of the internal investigation conducted by the senior official Sue Gray, who should be published soon
Boris Johnson would be threatened with having to resign if 54 of the 360 conservatives who sit in the House of Commons took the initiative to write a mistrust letter. This threshold has not yet been crossed, several conservative elected officials saying wanting to wait for the results of the internal survey.