The pressure is mounting in Downing Street. British MPs approved on Thursday 21 April the opening of an investigation into whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson knowingly misled Parliament on the “evenings” organized despite the containment measures in force to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic. At first, the conservative leader had denied the facts.
The case, known as ‘partygate’ and for a time on the back burner due to the war in Ukraine, was revived last week when Mr Johnson was fined for breaching Covid-19 restrictions , by participating in this surprise party organized for his 56th birthday, in June 2020. He then became the first British head of government in office sanctioned for breaking the law.
The ministerial code provides that a minister who has knowingly misled Parliament must resign. To force Boris Johnson to leave his post, 54 of the 360 elected Conservatives must send a letter of no-confidence to the chairman of the 1922 Committee, a parliamentary group of Tories in the House of Commons.
The case threatened Boris Johnson’s position as head of the UK government earlier this year, when a number of MPs from his own party, the Conservative Party, called for his resignation.
“A contempt of Parliament”
If he admitted to having made an error of judgment, Boris Johnson affirmed not to have knowingly misled the Parliament. On Tuesday, he asked the deputies for forgiveness. On an official trip to India, the Prime Minister was not present at the time of the vote.
During the debate preceding the vote, Conservative Steve Baker, one of the leading figures in the campaign to leave the European Union, said that Boris Johnson should resign. He accused the Prime Minister of violating “the letter and the spirit” of the law, adding that Boris Johnson “should now be long gone”that “the concert was over”.
‘The Prime Minister has been accused of repeatedly, deliberately and routinely misleading the House about parties in Downing Street during lockdown’said Labor Party leader Keir Starmer. “It is a serious and serious accusation, it amounts to a contempt of Parliament”he added in front of the elected officials.
Case of conscience of Conservative MPs
The government had sought to delay MPs’ votes until police had completed their own investigations, which could lead to additional fines for the prime minister, but backtracked just before the start of House debate low.
Conservative elected officials have expressed their discomfort at the idea of having to oppose a thorough examination of the actions of Boris Johnson, which have damaged the confidence of the British in the government. Boris Johnson’s spokesman claimed the Tories had been told they could vote as they pleased or even opt out of the vote.
Tory MP William Wragg, a critic of his party leader, has called again for Boris Johnson to step down. “I cannot reconcile myself to the fact that the Prime Minister continues to lead our country”he said. “The party bears the scars of its leadership’s misjudgments (…), it is quite disheartening to have to defend the indefensible. »
