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Boris Johnson and Partygate saga

Should Boris Johnson resign as UK Prime Minister?

  • Yes, he should

    Votes: 12 100.0%

  • No, he should not

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    12
Tory MP reckons Boris Johnson will be gone in a week

This is just in from our politics producer, who has been speaking to one disgruntled Conservative MP.

They believe they are "nearly there" when it comes to the magic number of no confidence letters needed to trigger a confidence vote in the prime minister.

The MP, who said they give Boris Johnson "a week" before he is toppled, wants him to be gone before the outcome of the Sue Gray investigation.

This seems to be backed up by The Guardian's Aubrey Allegretti, who tweeted that about a dozen Tory MPs gathered earlier to discuss submitting letters of no confidence.
 
Boris Johnson is preparing to face MPs in the Commons amid claims that support among Tory MPs is "haemorrhaging away" and he is on the brink of being removed from office.

After a potentially brutal Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson will attempt to launch a fightback by announcing he is ripping up Plan B COVID restrictions opposed by many of his MPs.

The changes in England, expected after 26 January, are likely to include ditching COVID passports and working from home guidance, although mandatory mask wearing in some settings could remain.

Johnson set to announce easing of Plan B restrictions in England

But despite the COVID climbdown, a mutiny led by "red wall" Tory MPs elected in 2019 is said to be close to reaching the numbers required to trigger a leadership contest, sparking fury among Johnson loyalists.

There are claims that 20 "red wallers" are poised to submit letters to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady after PMQs, taking the total to close to the 54 that would mean a no-confidence vote.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was interviewed on Tuesday during a visit to the Finchley Memorial Hospital in North London
Downing Street parties: Is the game up? Boris Johnson looks defeated as mood turns sour in Tory party

Downing Street parties: Dominic Cummings will be interviewed as part of Cabinet Office investigation

Boris Johnson looks down as he is asked about parties in Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral
Boris Johnson says 'nobody told me' Number 10 lockdown garden party was against the rules

"We're certainly nearly there," a Tory MP elected in 2019 told Sky News, blaming aggressive bullying tactics by government whips trying to protect the prime minister for stoking the rebellion.

And a senior Conservative MP loyal to Mr Johnson told Sky News: "It's very worrying. Support for him is haemorrhaging away. Graham just smiled when I asked him how many letters he had."

But other MPs claim some potential mutineers are prepared to wait for the verdict of Whitehall enforcer Sue Gray's report on Downing Street parties before submitting their letter to Sir Graham.

Opposition to Mr Johnson is said to have hardened after what MPs described as a disastrous TV interview in which he looked haunted during a fierce interrogation on Downing Street party allegations.

Christian Wakeford, MP for the "red wall" seat of Bury South, became the seventh MP to announce he had submitted a letter of no confidence and said several more had written and were considering sending them.

Is the game up? Boris Johnson looks defeated as mood turns sour in Tory party

Johnson loyalists begin fightback

Amid the most febrile atmosphere at Westminster since Theresa May was toppled in 2019, the prime minister was in his Commons office until late into the night trying to persuade rebels to pull back.

Furious cabinet ministers loyal to the PM described the 2019 intake's mutiny as "sickening", with one minister declaring: "They were only elected because of him. Most of them are nobodies. It's nuts."

And another government source said: "Most of them rode in on Boris Johnson's coat-tails and without him they'll be dumped pretty quickly. They don't know what they're doing.

"They don't realise how lucky they are. They're working against us and doing Labour's job for them."

The 2019 intake mutiny is said to have been co-ordinated at a lunchtime meeting being called the "pork pie plot", because one of the plotters was Alicia Kearns, new MP for Rutland and Melton, home of the Melton Mowbray pork pie.

Later, it was claimed, more than 100 Tory MPs attended a dinner at the Carlton Club, the elite spiritual home of the Conservative Party establishment, where conversation was all about whether Mr Johnson can survive or is finished.

As he attempts to mount an 11th-hour fightback, Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of his cabinet to review the latest COVID data and Plan B measures before making a Commons statement after PMQs.

Axing the Plan B rules is seen as one of the PM's "Operation Red Meat" measures to win back Tory support as part of a plan to save Mr Johnson's premiership which MPs are calling "Operation Save Big Dog".

"Decisions on the next steps remain finely balanced," said a government spokesperson ahead of the Cabinet meeting.

"Plan B was implemented in December to slow the rapid spread of the extremely transmissible Omicron variant, and get more jabs in arms.

"It's thanks to the phenomenal efforts of the NHS and many dedicated volunteers that we have now delivered over 36 million boosters to people across the UK.

"The Omicron variant continues to pose a significant threat and the pandemic is not over.

"Infections remain high but the latest data is encouraging, with cases beginning to fall. Vaccines remain our best line of defence and we urge people to come forward, to give themselves the best possible protection."

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-jo...peration-red-meat-in-bid-to-save-him-12519624
 
Boris Johnson: More Tory MPs submit no confidence letters as pressure to oust PM mounts

The threat to Boris Johnson's leadership has ramped up today as more Conservative MPs said they have submitted letters of no confidence in the PM.

Around 12 more letters were handed in this morning, according to Sky News political correspondents Sam Coates and Joe Pike.

They were from MPs who were part of a group of about 20 first voted in at the 2019 general election, many in traditionally "red wall" Labour seats in the North.

Pork pie plot

The MPs met last night to discuss their support of Mr Johnson after he claimed on Tuesday "nobody told me" the Number 10 lockdown garden party in May 2020 was against the rules.

The mutiny by the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs has been branded the "pork pie plot", as one of the MPs is Alicia Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Melton, home of the Melton Mowbray pork pie.

Several other letters are understood to have been submitted ahead of today, with a handful of Conservative MPs confirming to Sky News they have done so.

The letters have been handed to Sir Graham Brady, head of the influential 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, who is the only person that knows exactly how many have been submitted.

For a Tory PM to be ousted, Sir Graham needs to receive letters from 15% of Conservative MPs, which at the moment is 54.

When that number is reached, a vote on the PM's leadership will be triggered. There are reports this could happen as early as today.

Operation Red Meat and dire polls

Mr Johnson will face MPs at Prime Minister's Questions at midday, where his future will almost certainly be raised.

After PMQs, Mr Johnson is expected to announce an easing of England's Plan B COVID restrictions from next Wednesday, which some have said is part of Operation Red Meat - a flurry of policy announcements designed to revive the PM's fortunes.

In a YouGov poll published just before Mr Johnson's interview yesterday in which he said nobody told him the garden event was a party, 64% of Britons said they think the PM should stand down, up from 48% in November.

And a poll by JL Partners for Channel 4 found the Conservatives would lose all but three of the 45 "red wall" seats gained from Labour in 2019 if a general election was held now.

Wait for Sue Gray report

Despite letters being submitted, many Conservative MPs, including ministers, have insisted the investigation into Downing Street parties by top civil servant Sue Gray needs to be concluded before they can make a judgement on Mr Johnson. It is due to be finished next week.

Ahead of PMQs, James Heappey, armed forces minister and the PM's former parliamentary private secretary, defended Mr Johnson, saying he could see how the prime minister would have been whisked into the event in his garden.

He told Sky News: "I can perfectly imagine from having worked closely with him and in Number 10 exactly how this happened.

"He will have been grabbed from his office at the end of a busy day of very significant decisions around the pandemic and everything else that was going on in the world and will have been launched into an event which he himself said at the dispatch box in hindsight he should've shut down immediately."

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-jo...etters-as-pressure-to-oust-pm-mounts-12519687
 
BREAKING : Red wall Tory MP Christian Wakeford defects to Labour!

Now this is terrible news!
 
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Bury South has a large Jewish population and so it was no surprise that Christian Wakeford mentioned Starmers actions on alleged anti-semitism as a reason for moving. He seems to be looking to preserve his own seat and I hope this type of career politician is booted at the next election.

I have always felt like an MP defecting should trigger a by-election. I know the reason why it doesn't, but the people of Bury Voted in a guy who wanted to get Brexit done who has now jumped ship to a party led by Mr Second Referrendum.
 
The Bury guy can obviously see a general poll swing towards Labour and wants to keep his seat next time it is up for grabs. Moreover the timing of the announcement 5 minutes before an already massively under the cosh Boris stands up at the dispatch box was designed to cause maximum embarrassment. A cynical move all round.
 
He must have been very convincing in talks with the Bury South CLP. A lot of their members will be outraged.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60056482

<b> In the name of God go, David Davis tells Boris Johnson</b>

Former cabinet minister David Davis has joined calls for Boris Johnson to stand down, telling the prime minister: "In the name of God, go."

He said the PM had failed to take responsibility for his actions over lockdown parties in Downing Street.

It came after backbench Tory MP Christian Wakeford defected to Labour, minutes before Prime Minister's Questions began.

The PM batted away repeated calls to quit during the stormy Commons session.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, Bury South MP Mr Wakeford said: "You and the Conservative Party as a whole have shown themselves incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves."

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the MP to his new party and repeated his call for Mr Johnson to quit, saying his "absurd and unreliable defences" of No 10 parties were unravelling.

But the most dramatic intervention came towards the end of the session, when veteran Tory MP David Davis told Mr Johnson he had spent weeks defending him from "angry constituents", including by reminding them of the "successes of Brexit".

He added: "I expect my leaders to shoulder the responsibility for the actions they take. Yesterday he did the opposite of that. So, I will remind him of a quotation which may be familiar to his ear: Leopold Amery to Neville Chamberlain.

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. In the name of God, go."

The PM said he "didn't know what [Mr Davis] is talking about", but insisted he took "full responsibility for everything done in this government and throughout the pandemic".

Speaking afterwards to the BBC's Carolyn Quinn, Mr Davis said he had supported Mr Johnson until his interview on Tuesday, when he said he had not been told a party in the Downing Street garden risked breaking Covid rules.

"Yesterday's interview was an attempt to escape responsibility, not to shoulder it. And that's a test of leadership for me."

But he confirmed he hasn't put in a letter of no confidence to the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, who organises Tory leadership contests.
 
When all those Labour MPs defected to the LDs in 2019, Labour called for by-elections.

Bet they won’t now….,
 
Robert said:
When all those Labour MPs defected to the LDs in 2019, Labour called for by-elections.

Bet they won’t now….,
Click to expand...

The LDs could end up supporting Labour in government if Boris goes (followed by, eventually, his party)
 
David Davis quoted that famous Leo Amery line where he begged Neville Chamberlain to resign during WW2.

Boris, the man who supposedly wrote a book on Churchill, claimed he'd never heard of it ?! Really ?
 
The usual play-dumb denials from the PM.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60068612

<b>Boris Johnson: I've seen no evidence of plotters being blackmailed</b>

Boris Johnson says he has "seen no evidence" of blackmail in his party after claims by one of his own MPs.

William Wragg - who has called on the PM to resign over parties at No 10 - said suspected plotters have been threatened with bad publicity and cuts to constituency funding.

He has advised colleagues who feel threatened to go to the police.

An ex-Tory MP who defected to Labour, Christian Wakeford, also said he was threatened over funding for a school.

Mr Johnson told reporters: "I have seen no evidence [and] heard no evidence."

But asked if he would look into the reports, he replied: "Of course."

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner called the claims "shocking" and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Johnson of "acting more like a mafia boss than a prime minister".

Scotland's First Minister, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon, said: "If Tories are threatening to withhold public investment from constituencies as a way of keeping MPs in line then, yes, that's blackmail and intimidation - but it is also corruption.

"The moral decay at the heart of Johnson's government may be even worse than we thought."

But Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries accused Mr Wragg of "attention-seeking behaviour", calling his accusations "nonsense".

Mr Johnson is facing down an attempt from some Tory MPs to oust him as leader over lockdown parties held in Downing Street.

He has called on potential rebels to wait for the outcome of civil servant Sue Gray's inquiry into parties, expected next week, before passing judgement on him.

But in a sign of worsening relations between Mr Johnson and his backbenchers, Mr Wragg launched a stinging attack on the way the government has handled dissent among Tory MPs.

Speaking at a Commons committee that he chairs, the MP for Hazel Grove accused government whips - MPs in charge of party discipline - of threatening those suspected of plotting with the removal of government investment in their constituencies.

He also said he had received reports of government ministers, advisers and staff at No 10 "encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass" those suspected of lacking confidence in the PM.

Mr Wragg claimed the reports "would seem to constitute blackmail" - and as well as contacting police, affected MPs should contact the Commons Speaker.

Cabinet Office Minister Stephen Barclay, who was attending the committee, said he would relay the concerns to the government.

After the appearance, Mr Wakeford - who defected to the Labour Party on Thursday - said he had been threatened into supporting the government when sitting as a Tory MP.

"I was threatened that I would not get the school for Radcliffe if I didn't vote one particular way," he told BBC North West Tonight.

"This is a town that's not had a high school for the best part of 10 years and how would you feel with holding back the regeneration of a town for a vote?"

He said the incident "didn't sit comfortably" and it led to him "starting to question my place where I was and ultimately to where I am now".

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said "serious allegations" had been made, and MPs with concerns should write to him.

He said government ministers and those who work for them "are not above the criminal law," after Mr Wragg said MPs concerned about potential blackmail should contact the Metropolitan Police.

But the Speaker added: "The investigation of allegedly criminal conduct is a matter for the police and decisions about prosecution are for the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service]".

One rebel MP told the BBC that some dissenters had been threatened with funding cuts, whilst an impending shake-up of parliamentary boundaries due next year had also been used to put down rebellion.

"It's been done to the weakest to make an example," they added.

However, Tory MP Anthony Mangnall, said he had never been threatened, despite rebelling against the government on "quite a lot of matters".

Ms Dorries also called Mr Wragg's accusations "disappointing", told BBC West Midlands: "That is nonsense because that is not how government works, and we are the party of government.

"The whips have no say over what happens in individual constituencies.

"And not only is it nonsense, it is just attention seeking behaviour from William Wragg, who has been a constant critic of the prime minister."

It follows a dramatic day in Westminster on Wednesday, when Tory MP Christian Wakeford defected to Labour, describing the PM as incapable of leading.

Tory grandee and former ally of Mr Johnson David Davis told the PM: "In the name of God, go."

So far six Conservative MPs have publicly declared no confidence in the PM, but more are thought to have submitted letters to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, who organises Tory leadership contests.

There are claims that the threshold of 54 letters needed to trigger a no-confidence vote and leadership election could soon be reached, but no official word has been given.

However, some Conservatives have told the BBC the mood has changed, following the defection of Mr Wakeford.

Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns - a close ally of Mr Johnson - claimed Tory MPs were "stepping back" from calling for the PM to go now, and were waiting for Ms Gray's report.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60071311

<b>Looks like checkmate for Boris Johnson, says senior Tory Steve Baker</b>

Boris Johnson will probably be forced out of office over the lockdown party row, a senior Tory MP has predicted.

Steve Baker told the BBC's Nick Robinson a growing rebellion from Tory MPs over gatherings in No 10 "looks like checkmate" for the prime minister.

The former Brexit minister - seen as influential backbench figure - said the current situation was "appalling, and the public are rightly furious".

Allies of the PM say he has seen off a plot to remove him for the time being.

Mr Johnson has urged MPs to wait for a report by civil servant Sue Gray, expected next week, before deciding his fate.

But the pressure on him is continuing to grow on the backbenches, with one of his MPs quitting the party to defect to Labour.

Another senior Tory, David Davis, used his Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday to tell the prime minister: "In the name of God, go".

And new claims over ministers "blackmailing" MPs to stop them plotting against Mr Johnson were revealed on Thursday by another leading Tory, William Wragg.

But Mr Johnson told reporters he had seen "no evidence" of blackmailing in the party.

Mr Baker said he was not rebelling against the PM - but he would take action if he is found to have broken Covid rules or misled MPs.

The MP for Wycombe, a ringleader in an ultimately unsuccessful plot to remove Theresa May as Tory leader and PM , said he would not be "organising" against Mr Johnson.

He told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast his "heart wouldn't be in it", and he was not "under a duty" to lead every Tory rebellion.

"Honestly, at the moment, I'm looking to the cabinet for leadership," he told host Nick Robinson.

"At the moment, I'm afraid it does look like checkmate - but whether he can save himself, we'll see".
 
Markhor said:
David Davis quoted that famous Leo Amery line where he begged Neville Chamberlain to resign during WW2.

Boris, the man who supposedly wrote a book on Churchill, claimed he'd never heard of it ?! Really ?
Click to expand...

He tried to act so suave when claiming he had no idea what Davis was on about, not realising how idiotic it made him look. Those PMQ's were a total car crash and the latest in a long line of signs that the time to resign is long overdue, before he humiliates himself any further.

Boris and Priti Patel were mocking/giggling at Ian Blackford as he discussed Boris not knowing his own rules on partying while 150,000 Britons died in this pandemic. There was even a point where he was shaking his head and jokingly looking at his watch. I mean, seriously? Does this man really have not an ounce of shame? Can he not even pretend to be a tiny bit solemn given the subject matter?

He is so far out of touch with reality you almost feel second-hand embarrassment watching him.
 
Dominic Cummings has revealed he has provided written evidence to the investigation into Downing Street parties during lockdown - and claims "other damaging stories" will emerge until Boris Johnson is out of office.

Sue Gray is looking into parties and gatherings in Number 10 and other government departments during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

Mr Johnson was asked today for a comment on Downing Street scandals - but said "you've got to wait" for Ms Gray's report to be published.

The Cabinet Office report is due to be released this week.

Mr Cummings, who left Downing Street in November 2020 and has since been a fierce critic of Mr Johnson, made his latest comments on his Substack blog.

He said he told Ms Gray that he would only give evidence in writing because "if we speak the PM will invent nonsense and spin it to the media and you and I will both have problems".

Mr Cummings said he told Ms Gray "let's keep everything in writing" as "therefore he [the PM] cannot invent things I've supposedly said to you, there is only a written record, this makes both our lives easier. She agreed."

He continued: "So I have answered questions in writing and will answer further questions in writing if she wants.

"But I will not speak and therefore provide the PM with more chances to lie and confuse everybody."

Mr Cummings also claimed that evidence was being kept from the Cabinet Office inquiry because staff are worried it would be seen by the PM.

He suggested this means that more evidence, including pictures, will keep emerging once the report is released.

"I know others are very worried about handing things to the Cabinet Office because they know the PM will see everything SG collects," Mr Cummings said.

"This inevitably means that evidence, including photos, is not given to her and instead will keep leaking after her report. (To stress, this is a consequence of beliefs about the PM's integrity, not SG's.)

"Other damaging stories will come out until he is gone."

"Many officials are desperate" to see Mr Johnson gone this week, Mr Cummings suggested, as he promised to carry out an "ask me anything" session on his blog once the report is released.

Speaking during a visit to a hospital on Monday, Mr Johnson said people would have to "wait" for the Cabinet Office report to come out.

Mr Cummings latest comments come as an unnamed source told The Daily Telegraph that Metropolitan Police officers have provided "a lot of information" to Ms Gray.

When asked how significant this material is, they added: "Put it this way, if Boris Johnson is still prime minister by the end of the week, I'd be very surprised."

Mr Johnson has said he will make the findings of the Cabinet Office investigation public and also make a statement to MPs.

Speaking on Monday, the PM's spokesman suggested it could be up to Mr Johnson what exactly is released into the public domain.

He said: "It's very much our intention to publish the findings in full as set out in the terms of reference."

But asked if Ms Gray could request that the report be published in its entirety - even if the PM disagreed - the spokesman said: "I think it is a report that comes to the prime minister."

If it is critical of the PM, it will increase the pressure on him and could spark a vote of no confidence in his leadership if enough Conservative MPs demand a ballot.

Under party rules, once the total number of letters reaches 54 - 15% of Tory MPs - the 1922 Committee must call a vote of confidence in the leader.

SKY
 
Firebat said:
There was even a point where he was shaking his head and jokingly looking at his watch. I mean, seriously? Does this man really have not an ounce of shame? Can he not even pretend to be a tiny bit solemn given the subject matter?

He is so far out of touch with reality you almost feel second-hand embarrassment watching him.
Click to expand...

He does not.

This is a man born into a rich family who has never thought the rules of normal behaviour apply to him.

Rory Stewart says:

Rory Stewart.jpg
 
Boris Johnson: PM broke coronavirus rules and had birthday party during first national lockdown, report claims

Downing Street has disputed a report suggesting Boris Johnson held a birthday party inside Number 10 attended by up to 30 people during the first lockdown.

ITV News understands the prime minister's wife, Carrie Johnson, helped to arrange the event which was held just after 2pm the afternoon of 19 June 2020 - Mr Johnson's birthday.

Up to 30 people are thought to have attended the event which the broadcaster says was held in the Cabinet Room after the PM returned from a school visit in Hertfordshire that morning.

In the evening, family friends were reportedly hosted upstairs in the prime minister's official residence in a further breach of the rules, ITV has reported.

At the afternoon event, the PM's wife Johnson and Lulu Lytle - an interior designer who at the time was renovating Mr Johnson's flat in Downing Street - are believed to have presented the prime minister with a cake whilst his wife led staff in a chorus of happy birthday.

Meanwhile, those present are understood to have eaten picnic food from Marks & Spencer at the gathering which is said to have lasted for around 20-30 minutes.

At the time of the party, social gatherings indoors were still forbidden under the government's own coronavirus rules.

However Number 10 denied the claim to ITV, saying: "This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening."

People were only permitted to meet outside in groups of up to six people and pubs, hairdressers and restaurants remained closed.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "A group of staff working in Number 10 that day gathered briefly in the Cabinet Room after a meeting to wish the prime minister a happy birthday. He was there for less than 10 minutes."

In response to ITV's claims that an alleged event took place later on the evening of the 19 June in the prime minister's flat, the spokeswoman said: "This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the prime minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening."

A spokeswoman for Soane Britain, the luxury designer co-founded by Ms Lytle, said: "Lulu was present in Downing Street on 19 June 19 working on the refurbishment.

"Lulu was not invited to any birthday celebrations for the prime minister as a guest. Lulu entered the Cabinet Room briefly as requested, while waiting to speak with the prime minister."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his call for Mr Johnson to resign.

"This is yet more evidence that we have got a prime minister who believes that the rules that he made don't apply to him," he said following the latest 'partygate' allegations.

"And so we have got a prime minister and a government who spend their whole time mopping up sleaze and deceit. Meanwhile millions of people are struggling to pay their bills.

"We cannot afford to go on with this chaotic, rudderless government. The prime minister is a national distraction and he's got to go."

The original report by ITV News suggests those present at the afternoon party included the principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, who emailed Downing Street staff inviting them to a drinks party on 20 May 2020.

Number 10's director of communications and Number 10's head operations Shelley Williams-Waller were also at the birthday bash, it is suggested.

One week before the party, Mr Johnson has asked the rest of the country to stick to the government's coronavirus rules in a news briefing at Downing Street.

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-jo...st-national-lockdown-reports-suggest-12524575
 
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The police are investigating "a number of events" in Downing Street in relation to possible breaches of coronavirus regulations, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has confirmed.

The announcement comes after Number 10 admitted that there had been a birthday celebration for Boris Johnson inside Downing Street during Covid restrictions.

A senior civil servant, Sue Gray is already investigating a series of parties and gatherings in Downing Street during the pandemic.

What was the Birthday celebration?

ITV News said the birthday celebration took place in the Cabinet Room just after 14:00 BST on 19 June 2020, adding that it had been allegedly arranged as a surprise for Mr Johnson by his then fiancee, Carrie Symonds.

Up to 30 people attended, sang Happy Birthday and were served cake, according to ITV News. As well as Downing Street staff, the interior designer Lulu Lytle - who was not a member of No 10 staff - was present.

No 10 said staff had "gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes".

Gatherings of more than two people inside were banned by law. An exception was allowed if the gathering "was reasonably necessary" for work purposes.

For people who broke Covid restrictions, the police in England could fine them £100 for the first offence which could then double for each further offence up to a maximum of £3,200.

It seems unlikely the birthday celebration would have been within the rules argues human rights barrister Adam Wagner.

"I don't think even Number 10 is giving an excuse which would have amounted to a defence in law", he told the BBC.

Three months prior to the birthday gathering, Mr Johnson posted a handwritten letter, sent to a seven-year-old girl who had postponed her own birthday party, on his official Twitter account. Mr Johnson wrote:

"We have all got to do our bit to protect the NHS and save lives, and that is exactly what you are doing, so well done! You are setting a great example."

What about the drinks party attended by the PM?

Mr Johnson has already apologised to MPs for attending a drinks party in the Downing Street garden, during the first lockdown, on 20 May, 2020.

However, he said he had not been notified in advance of the party, and had "believed implicitly" it had been a work event.

He had spent 25 minutes thanking staff, before returning to his office, the prime minister said.

Details of the event - to which up to 100 people had been invited to "bring your own booze" - were revealed by ITV News.

About 30 are understood to have attended.

What were the Covid rules on 20 May 2020?

The legal restrictions said that people could not leave their homes - or be outside the place they live - without a reasonable excuse, which included work (where you couldn't work from home), exercise and getting things like food and medicine.

It would be difficult to see how the Downing Street event would have been in line with these rules, argues Mr Wagner.

"If you were doing something which wasn't necessary for work then you weren't outside of your house [with] a reasonable excuse and you were potentially committing a criminal offence."

However, Mr Wagner added that as the prime minister and his wife live in Downing Street they would not have technically left their home to attend the party.

Mr Wagner was involved in a case to bring a judicial review against the Met Police over its earlier decision not to investigate the parties.

The law also banned gatherings in a public place of more than two people, unless they were all members of the same household or the gathering was "essential for work purposes". However, lawyers have noted that Downing Street is not a public place.

As well as legal restrictions, government guidance (not enforced through fines or prosecution, unless backed up in law) was also in place.

On the day of the party, the government Twitter account summarised this, saying that gatherings must be limited to two people outside.

gov.uk tweet: "In England, you can now meet someone who is not part of your household. But only if you are: outdoors, remain 2m apart, you meet no more than one person at a time"
Mr Johnson told MPs that as a "work event", the gathering was technically within the guidance.

But by 20 May 2020, there was detailed guidance on what to do in offices and other similar settings. When it came to workplace gatherings, it said: "Workers should try to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace."

The "working safely during coronavirus" guidelines also said only "absolutely necessary participants should attend meetings and should maintain 2m separation throughout". Generally, workers were told to "reduce the number of people you spend time with in a work setting".

There is nothing in the guidelines that would suggest that drinking, socialising or other types of work event along these lines would have been allowed.

Timeline: The alleged government gatherings

The government is facing mounting pressure over several events that are alleged to have been held during lockdowns. Here is what we know about them and the restrictions in place at the time:

10 May 2020
Boris Johnson announced a plan to take the “first careful steps" out of the lockdown that began in March 2020. But he said people should continue to "obey the rules on social distancing and to enforce those rules we will increase the fines for the small minority who break them”.

Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.

15 May 2020
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said, “those people were at work talking about work”.

20 May 2020
About 100 people were invited by email to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” on behalf of the prime minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds.

Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended.

Boris Johnson has confirmed he attended the event, saying he was there for 25 minutes and “believed implicitly that this was a work event”.

17 July 2020
Boris Johnson announced plans for a “significant return to normality" in England by Christmas "through targeted, local action” instead of national lockdowns.

But he added that the timetable relied on “every one of us staying alert and acting responsibly”.

5 November 2020
With cases of coronavirus rising again, the prime minister told people in England that “we are once again asking you to stay at home” as a new national lockdown began.

He said people should only leave their homes “for work if you can’t work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies”. Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.

13 November 2020
Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place.

27 November 2020
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.

2 December 2020
The second national lockdown ended after four weeks but Boris Johnson replaced those restrictions with “tough tiers to keep this virus down”.

London was placed in tier two, which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless “reasonably necessary” for work purposes.

10 December 2020
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.

14 December 2020
The Conservative Party has admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party's London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to speak to two people who attended the party.

Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo - published by the Sunday Mirror - showed Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.

16 December 2020
London moved into the highest tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was health secretary at the time, said it was important “everyone is cautious” ahead of the festive period.

The Department for Transport apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices that day, calling it “inappropriate" and an "error of judgment” by staff.

17 December 2020
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce - the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.

Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was “truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result”.

18 December 2020
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street.

However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”

12 April 2021
Lockdown restrictions were eased in England, with pubs and restaurants allowed to reopen with outdoor service only.

However, working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.

16 April 2021
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip's funeral.

One of the events was a leaving party for the PM's then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it “should not have happened at the time that it did”.

Boris Johnson was not at either party.

What about the rules around other alleged parties in 2020?

Two leaving parties took place on 16 April in Downing Street and went on until the early hours. Legal restrictions at the time banned gatherings indoors between different households (unless in a support bubble). There was an exemption for "work purposes" but this did not mention socialising at work. Boris Johnson did not attend and was at his official country residence, Chequers, at the time

One was alleged to have taken place on 27 November - a leaving party for Cleo Watson, a former aide to Dominic Cummings.

At this point a national lockdown was in force and indoor gatherings with other households were not allowed (unless for work).

This lockdown ended on 2 December and England returned to the tier system of restrictions where there was a specific prohibition on organising an indoor gathering of more than 30 people.

When a Downing Street Christmas quiz took place on 15 December, London was under tier 2 restrictions. These rules banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless "reasonably necessary" for work purposes.

The same rule would have applied when leaving drinks were held at the Cabinet Office for Kate Josephs, the outgoing head of the Covid taskforce, on 17 December. It would also have applied to a party - which was joked about in a leaked Downing Street press conference video - alleged to have taken place on 18 December. At this time, London had been moved to tougher tier 3 restrictions.

Furthermore, the government's guidance for the Christmas period specifically said: "Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier."

This same line was also tweeted out by the government Twitter account on 17 December 2020 in response to a question from a member of the public about whether Christmas parties were allowed in the workplace.

gov.uk tweet: "Hi Mick, although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier. You can find more information here, thanks

How has the PM responded to the allegations?

Allegations of Downing Street parties first surfaced in the Daily Mirror, when it reported in early December that a party had been held in Number 10 during the 2020 Christmas period.

In response, Mr Johnson told MPs that that "all guidance was followed completely in No 10".

However, after the Downing Street press conference video was leaked - which appeared to confirm a Christmas party took place - Mr Johnson said he understood the public anger.

"It goes without saying that if rules were broken then there will be disciplinary action for all those involved," Mr Johnson said.

Later, when details of the Downing Street quiz emerged, Mr Johnson said he "certainly broke no rules". Number 10 said that the prime minister "briefly took part virtually" to thank staff for their work during the pandemic.

Two people pictured with Mr Johnson - wearing tinsel and a Santa hat - were members of his closer staff who had come in to help him with the technology, according to Downing Street.

Number 10 also insisted that no rules were broken when a photo emerged of the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden from 15 May. Mr Johnson said that the photo showed "people at work", which was allowed under the rules.

BBC
 
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Sue Gray has received photos of Downing Street parties which include Boris Johnson and others close together with wine bottles, Sky News understands.

The latest revelation comes shortly after a government source said senior civil servant Ms Gray's report into parties in Downing Street and Whitehall that may have broken COVID rules could be published as soon as tomorrow.
 
<b>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60135309</b>

<I>Boris Johnson in Commons fight as No 10 parties report looms</I>

<b>Boris Johnson is facing questions about No 10 parties from MPs, as the results of an internal inquiry into possible lockdown breaches are due imminently.</b>

Angry exchanges are likely at Prime Minister's Questions, with senior official Sue Gray's report expected to be delivered later.

The Met Police has also announced its own investigation, heaping more pressure on the prime minister.

And Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has urged a "change in culture" in No 10.

She told BBC Breakfast there were "clearly concerning reports" over parties and it was important to "fix the issues", adding: "But that shouldn't diminish the fantastic work that has been done under this government and this prime minister."

The BBC understands that Ms Gray has not sent her report to the prime minister yet, but it is still expected that this will happen at some point during Wednesday.

Mr Johnson has apologised for attending a "bring-your-own-booze" event on in the No 10 garden 20 May 2020, during the first lockdown, saying he thought it was a "work event".

Reports of a birthday party held for Mr Johnson in the Cabinet Room in June 2020 have also come to light this week.

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said on Tuesday that the force was looking into potential breaches of Covid laws at a number of events in government buildings since 2020.

Such investigations were carried out in cases of the "most serious and flagrant breach" of regulations, or when it was considered those involved "ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence", she added.

This adds to concerns for Mr Johnson over the gatherings, with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP continuing their calls for him to resign.

Some Conservative MPs have also demanded he go, but many others say they are waiting for the Gray report before deciding whether to submit letters of no confidence in Mr Johnson, potentially triggering a leadership contest.

At least 54 Tory MPs must write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to set up a vote on the prime minister's future.

Mr Johnson has pledged to make a statement in the Commons after the report is made public, but there has been no official confirmation of when it will be published.

There is also doubt about how much of Ms Gray's findings will be made public and how much time, if any, opposition political parties will get to scrutinise them before the prime minister speaks in Parliament and faces their questions.

Labour and the SNP have asked the government for assurances they will get advance notice.

"The government should not seek to hide" any information contained in the Gray report, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson told the BBC News Channel.

"The prime minister is taking the British people for fools if he thinks they can't see what's going on," she added.

But House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "The government will behave entirely properly in terms of any statement, and the usual courtesies are extended to the opposition."

The cabinet was in "unanimous support" of the prime minister, because "anyone who did not support the prime minister would be obligated to resign", he added.

Mr Johnson has said he welcomes the Met investigation and that it will "give the public the clarity it needs" over the allegations.

His spokesman said the prime minister did not believe he had broken the law.
 
BBC:

During a rowdy Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Keir Starmer accuses the PM of showing "nothing but contempt" for the public over the Downing Street lockdown parties.

Boris Johnson again says he won't resign and insists his government "gets the big calls right" in its handling of the Covid pandemic.
 
Boris Johnson authorised the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul, according to emails leaked by a whistleblower.

The PM has previously dismissed as "nonsense" claims he intervened in the evacuation of the Nowzad charity, run by former Royal Marine Pen Farthing.

But an email from an official in minister Zac Goldsmith's office suggests he was personally involved.

It is one of a number of emails released by a select committee.

The August 2020 message to an official in the Foreign Office says: "Charity Nowzad, run by an ex-Royal Marine, has received a lot of publicity and the PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated."

When asked in December if he had prioritised animals over people in the evacuation of Kabul, Mr Johnson said: "That is complete nonsense."

BBC
 
MenInG said:
Boris Johnson authorised the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul, according to emails leaked by a whistleblower.

The PM has previously dismissed as "nonsense" claims he intervened in the evacuation of the Nowzad charity, run by former Royal Marine Pen Farthing.

But an email from an official in minister Zac Goldsmith's office suggests he was personally involved.

It is one of a number of emails released by a select committee.

The August 2020 message to an official in the Foreign Office says: "Charity Nowzad, run by an ex-Royal Marine, has received a lot of publicity and the PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated."

When asked in December if he had prioritised animals over people in the evacuation of Kabul, Mr Johnson said: "That is complete nonsense."

BBC
Click to expand...

Boris Johnson has dismissed claims he approved the airlift of animals out of Afghanistan, saying they are "total rhubarb", as Sky News obtained more emails which call into question the government's account.

Leaked messages appear to show that the prime minister's top parliamentary aide, Trudy Harrison, told Virgin Atlantic her efforts to secure a plane to evacuate animals from Kabul were backed by the government and that permissions would be "fast-tracked".
 
The Metropolitan Police has asked for "minimal reference" to be made in Sue Gray's partygate report to the events it is investigating.

The senior civil servant is investigating a series of events in Downing Street and across Whitehall which are alleged to have broken lockdown rules.

Her report, which is likely to have a significant impact on Boris Johnson's future as prime minister, has not yet been delivered to Number 10.
 
James said:
Yes, he is going to have to be dragged out of Downing Street kicking and screaming.
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Like Trump. We have to start electing honourable leaders again, or British democracy will crumble.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60166997

<b>Downing Street parties: Calls grow for Sue Gray report to be published</b>

Calls are growing for Sue Gray's report on No 10 parties to be published in full as soon as possible, amid wrangling over what it should contain.

Ms Gray had been expected to hand her report on alleged Covid-rule breaking to Boris Johnson this week.

But the Met Police have asked her to leave out key details to avoid prejudicing their own inquiries.

There is also debate in the Cabinet Office, where Ms Gray is based, about what should be redacted, sources say.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is calling for the report to be published in full and the investigations to be wrapped up as soon as possible.

The SNP and Lib Dems are claiming the delay in publication is a "stitch-up" aimed at keeping Boris Johnson in power.

Many Conservative MPs are waiting to see the outcome of Ms Gray's inquiry before deciding whether to call for a vote of no confidence in him.

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick announced on Tuesday that the force was investigating several parties held during lockdown, after Ms Gray had suggested laws may have been broken.

The Met were understood to have had no objections to Ms Gray's findings being published in full.

But on Friday morning they issued a statement saying they had asked the senior civil servant to leave out certain details.

"For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report," the force said.

"The Met did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation."

Following the Met's intervention, it is unclear how much Ms Gray can say in her report, or when it can be published.

Sources have also suggested that wrangling within the Cabinet Office about the report, which is expected to contain criticism of the civil service, has also contributed to the delay.

The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, claimed there had been "collusion" between the Cabinet Office and the Met police, telling BBC News: "This does look as if it's a stitch-up and the only person that benefits from that is Boris Johnson."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "A stitch-up between the Met leadership and No 10 will damage our politics for generations and it looks like it is happening right in front of our eyes."

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "What I want to see is Sue Gray's report in full and the investigation finished as quickly as possible".

Sir Roger Gale, who is among the Tory MPs to have publicly called for the PM to resign, described the latest developments as a "farce" which could delay a possible challenge to the "lame duck" prime minister.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's The World At One, he added that unless there is a "legal barrier", the senior official should publish her report "now and in full".

Asked by the BBC's Nick Robinson if the police's statement was helpful to Mr Johnson, senior minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "It would be a very eccentric conspiracy theorist who thought that the prime minister being investigated by the police is beneficial for the prime minister - that is parallel universe stuff."

There have been media reports of 17 gatherings in government buildings while Covid restrictions were in place.

It has already been confirmed that the events Ms Gray is looking into include a "bring-your-own-booze" drinks event in the No 10 garden in May 2020 attended by Mr Johnson, and a staff gathering to celebrate the PM's birthday in June 2020.

Mr Johnson has promised that Ms Gray's report will be published "in full", and the prime minister's spokesman has also said Mr Johnson does not believe he broke Covid laws.

On Friday, Downing Street said it would publish the report it receives from Ms Gray's team, and added that it had not had any input into the Met's latest statement.

The PM's spokesman added that No 10 had not "been privy to the details" of Ms Gray's inquiry, or "any of its content".

Some Conservative MPs have demanded Mr Johnson's resignation, after weeks of reports of allegedly rule-breaking events in No 10 during lockdown.

But many others say they are waiting for the Gray report before deciding whether to submit letters of no confidence in him.

At least 54 Tory MPs must write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to set up a vote on the prime minister's future.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that former PM Theresa May told constituents she was "angry to hear stories of those in No 10, who are responsible for setting the coronavirus rules, not properly following the rules."

In a letter sent before the Met announced its investigation earlier this week, published by the Maidenhead Advertiser, she wrote that she expected "full accountability to follow" if Ms Gray's inquiry uncovered "evidence of deliberate or premeditated wrongdoing".
 
So the Met wouldn’t investigate until the Good Law Project threatened to sue them.

Then they held off pending the Sue Grey report.

Now the Sue Grey report is being held up in case it prejudices the Met’s case.

Have the Met downer a deal with Number Ten? This has “establishment stitch-up” written all over it.

Johnson is acting like a third world despot.
 
Robert said:
So the Met wouldn’t investigate until the Good Law Project threatened to sue them.

Then they held off pending the Sue Grey report.

Now the Sue Grey report is being held up in case it prejudices the Met’s case.

Have the Met downer a deal with Number Ten? This has “establishment stitch-up” written all over it.

Johnson is acting like a third world despot.
Click to expand...

I agree that Boris has become little more than a comedy figure at this point, a tinpot dictator essentially. On the BBC website at the moment there is a photograph of him sniggering in a coat and tie getting ready for his trip to Eastern Europe and his conversation with Putin. He looks tired, lazy, haggard, overweight, and horrendous — far older than his 57 years.

The debacle with the Sue Grey report is about far more than our immensely privileged, Eton-educated and generally embarrassing prime minister though. He is a mere symptom.

This situation is indicative of the deep, systemic corruption and old chum’s network that runs through the management of all of the major British institutions: in this case the government, the civil service, and the Met police, who are clearly all in cahoots with one another — but on other occasions of institutional shadiness, one could add the likes of the BBC, the NHS, the redbrick universities (self appointed “Russell Group”), the top tier posh boy private schools, and the British armed forces to this list of shame as well.
 
Boris has played a blinder. He will be hoping the criminal investigation will clear him of all charges and use the police report to shield him from SG's biased report.

And anyone moaning about the delay in SGs report were pretty silent when it came to the Chilcot report which took a good part of a decade.

Boris ensured the UK was ahead of the Covid crisis. First to roll out the vaccine, first to end lockdowns, and now responsible for the UK becoming the fastest growing economy in the G7. So what if he had a birthday cake at the office. He can have his cake AND eat it!
 
James said:
I agree that Boris has become little more than a comedy figure at this point, a tinpot dictator essentially. On the BBC website at the moment there is a photograph of him sniggering in a coat and tie getting ready for his trip to Eastern Europe and his conversation with Putin. He looks tired, lazy, haggard, overweight, and horrendous — far older than his 57 years.

The debacle with the Sue Grey report is about far more than our immensely privileged, Eton-educated and generally embarrassing prime minister though. He is a mere symptom.

This situation is indicative of the deep, systemic corruption and old chum’s network that runs through the management of all of the major British institutions: in this case the government, the civil service, and the Met police, who are clearly all in cahoots with one another — but on other occasions of institutional shadiness, one could add the likes of the BBC, the NHS, the redbrick universities (self appointed “Russell Group”), the top tier posh boy private schools, and the British armed forces to this list of shame as well.
Click to expand...

Rory Stewart:

A1893747-CDFD-4B16-8E05-13845F6F3E88.jpg
 
Robert said:
Rory Stewart:

View attachment 114457
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This is a great quote but it’s also potentially an argument against removing Johnson. It could be a case of better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

Johnson is deeply compromised and totally lacking in principle but this is more in a goofy immature schoolboy manner, and I don’t think he is “evil” as such. Mickey Gove and Priti Patel are far more sinister than Boris imo. And Rishi Sunak is slick but he is also slippery, he can’t be trusted at all. He would figuratively drive the sword through anybody’s back to get to the top imo.
 
Rory Stewart is a Remainer and was aiming for Tory leadership. The guy could quote Humpty Dumpty and Remainers would annoit him for sainthood.
 
Rory Stewart is quite correct in what he says.

Brexit is done and dusted. This is no longer about Brexit but about corruption, indifference and incompetence at the heart of government.

Judging people on how they campaigned during the Brexit referendum is unnecessarily divisive but if we take someone's stance on the EU as a barometer for how valid their opinion is then Boris is a lost cause. Sat on the fence for too long, whipped up hysteria against Theresa May, brought the poor woman down and then settled for a worse deal that has impacted British sovereignty and opened up a pandoras box that will be difficult to close.

Boris Johnson absolutely reflects the worst aspects of British politics he has no character or competence and it's time he is booted from office and binned.
 
Tom Tugendhat has become the first MP to say he would run to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a Tory leadership contest.

The ex-soldier and Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairman told Times Radio it would be a "huge privilege".

He said he had not been "canvassing support", but "of course, you should have a go".

It comes as the future of Mr Johnson's premiership remains under doubt, as he awaits the report into parties at Downing Street and Whitehall.

It is understood the report - compiled by senior civil servant Sue Gray - will be sent to Number 10 shortly, as opposed to in a matter of weeks or months.

SKY
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60183030

<b>Downing Street parties: Senior Tories demand full Sue Gray report</b>

Senior Tories have joined opposition MPs in demanding the report on No 10 lockdown parties be published in full.

MP Sir Christopher Chope accused the Met Police of an "abuse of power", amid concerns senior civil servant Sue Gray will leave out crucial findings.

Doubts over how complete the report will be came after the Met asked her to make "minimal reference" to events they are looking at.

A version of the report is yet to be handed to Downing Street.

While no exact timeframe for the report's submission has been given, Ms Gray is expected to submit her report before the Met finishes its investigations.

The force is investigating alleged parties and gatherings at Downing Street and other locations in Whitehall during coronavirus restrictions, and has received evidence from Ms Gray's team.

No 10 has pledged to publish Ms Gray's report "as they receive it".

Sir Christopher, the Conservative MP for Christchurch, accused the police of interfering with Ms Gray's investigation.

"They're not right [to ask for changes] this is not sub judice," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, referring to active legal proceedings that prohibit public discussion.

"If they had brought charges about individuals... then it would obviously be sub judice.

"That's why I think this is an abuse of power by the Metropolitan Police."

Senior Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, who has been critical of the prime minister's handling of the issue, also warned that any redacted or watered down report would not "go down well with colleagues" and the public wanted to see the government was on the "road to change".

Another Tory MP Adam Holloway, who said he backs Boris Johnson but is willing to "run with" Ms Gray's findings, told Today: "If I was Boris I would be really quite desperate for the truth to get out."

It followed calls from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party for the report to be published without omissions.

Lord Morris of Aberavon, a former attorney general under ex-Labour PM Tony Blair, said he was dismayed with the police, telling the BBC: "Any prejudice which might result in fines would be a disproportionate concern."

But criminal barrister Matthew Scott, from Pump Court Chambers, said: "Given that they are investigating possible criminal offences I think they are absolutely right to do what they have done and ask.

"They have no power to enforce, but they can ask and they have done, that the relevant parts of the report not be made public before they have completed their inquiry."

In a statement on Friday night, the Met defended its request for the Cabinet Office to minimise reference to certain events in Ms Gray's report as being fair to those subject to investigation.

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, added: "This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events.

"We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.

"We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team."

Commander Roper said the offences under investigation would normally be dealt with by fixed penalty notice.

During the pandemic, fixed penalty notices ordered people to either pay a penalty - between £200 and £10,000 - or opt to face a criminal prosecution, usually at magistrate's court, for alleged breaches of Covid regulations.

Mr Johnson has said he welcomes the Met investigation and that it will "give the public the clarity it needs" over the allegations.

His spokesman said the prime minister did not believe he had broken the law.

At least 13 separate events are reported to have taken place at Downing Street or other buildings in Westminster when London, or the UK, were under tough restrictions.

Meanwhile, senior Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat has become the first MP to publicly say he would consider running for Tory leader if a contest was triggered.

Mr Tugendhat, who chairs Parliament's foreign affairs select committee, told Times Radio "it's up to all of us to put ourselves forward" but he added there was "not a vacancy at the moment" and said he had not been canvassing support.
 
MenInG said:
Tom Tugendhat has become the first MP to say he would run to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a Tory leadership contest.

The ex-soldier and Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairman told Times Radio it would be a "huge privilege".

He said he had not been "canvassing support", but "of course, you should have a go".

It comes as the future of Mr Johnson's premiership remains under doubt, as he awaits the report into parties at Downing Street and Whitehall.

It is understood the report - compiled by senior civil servant Sue Gray - will be sent to Number 10 shortly, as opposed to in a matter of weeks or months.

SKY
Click to expand...

Tugendhat would be good, but an outsider. He has credibility but not enough support I think. Might be what the Tories need to restore trust / decency / honour and the Labour poll lead would vanish.
 
James said:
This is a great quote but it’s also potentially an argument against removing Johnson. It could be a case of better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

Johnson is deeply compromised and totally lacking in principle but this is more in a goofy immature schoolboy manner, and I don’t think he is “evil” as such. Mickey Gove and Priti Patel are far more sinister than Boris imo. And Rishi Sunak is slick but he is also slippery, he can’t be trusted at all. He would figuratively drive the sword through anybody’s back to get to the top imo.
Click to expand...

I don't trust the trio off Sajid Javed, Rishi Saunak and the evil conspiring zionist not so "Pretty" Patel.
 
Sky News understands Boris Johnson will receive the findings of Sue Gray's inquiry into allegations of lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street on Monday.

The senior civil servant is understood to be preparing to hand over her long-awaited report - following requests from the Metropolitan Police to only include "minimal details" of events under investigation.

It is likely the report will be published hours after it is presented to Mr Johnson. The PM will give a statement to the Commons addressing the findings and answering questions.
 
Boris Johnson has received the long-awaited report by Sue Gray into lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.

"We can confirm that Sue Gray has provided an update on her investigations to the prime minister," a Cabinet Office spokesman said.
 
The PM has said he sticks "absolutely to what I've said in the past" over reported lockdown breaches in No 10.

Mr Johnson refused to be drawn on whether the report by civil servant Sue Gray would be a "whitewash", when answering questions.

The report into alleged Downing Street parties during Covid-19 restrictions could be handed to No 10 on Monday.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said "it does seem like report will go to Number 10 later this morning".

Opposition parties and some Tory MPs are demanding the report be published in full.

But doubt has been cast on how complete Sue Gray's report will be after police asked for "minimal reference" to certain events after launching their own investigation.

When asked about possible omissions from the report during a visit to a port in Essex, Mr Johnson offered no comment but added: "Of course I stick absolutely to what I've said in the past."

Some Conservative MPs have said they will withhold judgement on Mr Johnson's position until the report is published.

In a critical article for the Times newspaper, Nikki da Costa, Mr Johnson's former director of legislative affairs, said the government had not been "honest and upfront" about events in Downing Street.

Speaking to the BBC's Woman's Hour programme, Ms de Costa said "moral responsibility" for failings within government had "been outsourced to Sue Gray" and suggested there "should be consequences" for Mr Johnson.

But the Northern Ireland minister and close ally of the prime minister, Conor Burns, told the BBC his colleagues had pulled "back from the brink" of attempting to remove him.

He said "despite all the background noise", Mr Johnson had been "getting on with the job of being prime minister, and I think that has been reassuring to them and given them confidence".

The Metropolitan Police is investigating alleged parties at Downing Street and other government offices when Covid rules applied, and has received evidence from Ms Gray's team.

The report is expected to be made public soon after Mr Johnson receives it, and the prime minister has said he will make a statement to Parliament as soon as possible.

Asked on BBC Breakfast earlier whether Ms Gray's report could be delivered to Downing Street imminently, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Simon Clarke said: "I believe it will be soon. The precise timing of all of this is a matter for Sue Gray."

Johnson's agenda
As Mr Johnson awaits Ms Gray's report, he has attempted to seize the initiative with a flurry of activity and announcements.

On Monday Mr Johnson's government set out a plan to overhaul "outdated" EU laws copied over after Brexit.

Downing Street said a "Brexit Freedoms Bill" will cut red tape for businesses, but the the plan was criticised by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which fear it could undermine their powers.

Later this week, Mr Johnson is due to visit Ukraine to show solidarity with the country as fears over a Russian invasion loom.

Details also will be given of the plan to address inequality through levelling up, and measures to ease the impact of rising energy costs.

BBC
 
Sue Gray report release: Main points

Sue Gray concluded that "a number" of gatherings "should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did".
"At least some of the gatherings represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time."

There were "failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of Number 10 and the Cabinet Office".

An event at the Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020, the day Dominic Cummings left Number 10, is confirmed as being one of 12 events being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

Sue Gray acknowledges she was "extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather."

"Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so."

"The structures that support the smooth operation of Downing Street have not evolved sufficiently… the leadership structures are fragmented and complicated and this has sometimes led to the blurring of lines of accountability."

She concluded "there is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across government" and that "this does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded."
 
Theresa has been waiting for this moment for a long time. Laid the smackdown on Bojo!

I've taken annual leave from work to watch.
 
Pretty strong language in the report even though it has effectively been redacted by the Met as they investigate most of the sixteen points.
 
Sue Gray party report: What are the findings?

Initial findings from Sue Gray's inquiry into lockdown socialising in government buildings have finally been published.

The civil servant said 16 events fell within her investigation's remit, of which 12 are now being investigated by the Met police.

These include three events that have not previously been reported in the media.

Here are her findings.

When were the gatherings?

The 16 events Sue Gray says were within her remit took place over a dozen dates between May 2020 and April 2021
They all took place in No 10 Downing Street or the Cabinet Office, apart from one in the Department for Education
The 12 events being investigated by police include the drinks in the Downing Street garden attended by the PM on 20 May 2020
Other events subject to police inquiries include a birthday celebration for Mr Johnson in the Cabinet Room on 19 June 2020
A gathering in the No 10 Downing flat on 13 November 2020 is also being investigated by the Met
The force considered the remaining four events did not reach "the threshold for criminal investigation"

What are her criticisms?

"Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify"
"At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time"
"At times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings, the risks they presented to public health and how they might appear to the public"
"There were failures of leadership and judgement by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times. Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did"

What does she say about drinking?

"The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time"
Every government department should have a "clear and robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol"

What else does she recommend?

Official access to the Downing Street garden should be "by invitation only and in a controlled environment"
There should be "easier ways for staff to raise... concerns informally, outside of the line-management chain"

How did she investigate?

Her team interviewed 70 individuals, some more than once - although none is named
They also examined emails, Whatsapp messages, and text messages
Photographs and building entry and exit logs were also looked at
She did not comment on whether individual events were in line with Covid rules, adding it was "inappropriate" while the police investigate

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60201752
 
So the report says rhe leader is not fit to lead. How is this any different to the view of the oppositiin?
 
Theresa May has torpedoed Johnson in the Commons, like Howe did to Thatcher.

Code Blue on Blue!
 
I'd rather Boris stays.

He will end the resistrictions completley, end of March.

Time to move on.
 
LaLoco said:
Every country will almost end the restrictions by the end of March unless that country is Canada or NZ :)
Click to expand...

yep the so called liberals have now transformed into the right, locking people down!


I read Justin the great liberal went into hiding when the trucks started to pour in. Boris stays in the open and takes it on the chin.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60204842

<b>Theresa May leads Tory MPs' anger against PM over parties</b>

Former Prime Minister Theresa May has led Tory MPs' criticism of Boris Johnson over Downing Street parties, asking whether he had "read the rules".

Following the publication of Sue Gray's report on gatherings under Covid restrictions, she said her successor had to "set an example".

And fellow ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell said said he had lost confidence in Mr Johnson.

But other Tory MPs rallied round the PM in a stormy House of Commons.

Mr Johnson is due to address the Conservative Parliamentary Party in a meeting shortly.

Senior civil servant Ms Gray's report said that police were investigating 12 gatherings over alleged Covid rule-breaking and criticised a "failure of leadership" within Downing Street.

After the document - restricted in scope so as not to deal in detail with allegations under investigation by the Metropolitan Police - was published, Mr Johnson gave a statement to the Commons.

He accepted Ms Gray's findings in full, promised to fix the culture within Downing Street and review the Civil Service's code of conduct.

But Mrs May, prime minister from 2016 to 2019, stood behind Mr Johnson and told the Commons: "What the Gray report does show is that No 10 Downing Street was not observing the regulations they had imposed on members of the public.

"So either my right honourable friend had not read the rules or didn't understand what they meant and others around him, or they didn't think the rules applied to Number 10. Which was it?"

Mr Johnson replied: "No... that is not what the Gray report says. I suggest that she waits to see the conclusion of the inquiry."

Mr Mitchell, a former international development secretary, said Mr Johnson had always enjoyed his "full-throated support" but he was now "deeply concerned".

"When he kindly invited me to see him 10 days ago, I told him that I thought he should think very carefully about what was now in the best interests of our country and of the Conservative Party, and I have to tell him he no longer enjoys my support," he said.

Another Tory MP, Aaron Bell, said he had attended his grandmother's funeral during the first lockdown, adding: "I didn't hug my siblings. I didn't hug my parents. I gave the eulogy and then afterwards I didn't even go to her house for cup of tea. I drove back three hours from Kent to Staffordshire. Does the prime minister think I'm a fool?"

Mr Johnson said he was "very, very sorry for misjudgements that may have been made by me or anybody else in Number 10 and the Cabinet Office" over gatherings during Covid restrictions.

Former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper called for Ms Gray's full report - rather than the version put out after the Met asked it to be restricted - to be released.

And backbench MP Tobias Ellwood tweeted that "if the PM fails to publish the report in full, then he will no longer have my support".

However, many other Conservatives defended the prime minister following his statement.

Veteran MP Sir Bernard Jenkin said he commended his "determination to restore cabinet government and it is on results over the next few months on which he will be judged".

Former justice secretary Robert Buckland added: "I heard today a proper acknowledgement that he needs to look in the mirror and I am glad to hear about reforms to the centre of government that I think are timely."

And long-serving MP Sir Bill Cash said: "I'd also like to draw attention to the historic achievements of this prime minister in relation to, not only delivering Brexit, in relation to delivering the vaccine rollout, and in relation to his dealings with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, and I believe that everybody should take that most firmly into account."

One of Mr Johnson's firmest allies, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, told the BBC News Channel that those criticising Mr Johnson were "the same people who have been calling for the prime minister to go virtually since he was elected".

Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden tweeted: "Have just come from the House where the PM offered a full and frank apology with a clear plan for changes at No10. Country faces big challenges as we deal with the consequences of Covid. That's where Govt focus must be and will be."

Fifty-four Tory MPs must sign a letter declaring no confidence in the prime minister before a vote on his future - leading to a possible leadership challenge - can take place.
 
Utter skum, utter Tory filth. While people were dying and being restrained from being with their loved ones during their suffering, these Tory / pro Brexit vermin's were having a party!

They deserve worse then death, a Boris resignation isn’t enough either, we should bring back capital punishment and charge the idiot with treason.

Proud to be British today [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] :yk3
 
shaz619 said:
Utter skum, utter Tory filth. While people were dying and being restrained from being with their loved ones during their suffering, these Tory / pro Brexit vermin's were having a party!

They deserve worse then death, a Boris resignation isn’t enough either, we should bring back capital punishment and charge the idiot with treason.

Proud to be British today [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] :yk3
Click to expand...

Comeback when you live in the UK.
 
Technics 1210 said:
Agree.

The opponents of Boris are actually Remainers. Still hurting after the democratic loss of 2016.
Click to expand...

Starmer is pathetic, the liberal dems are clowns. Im not fan of ANY politician but I'd rather have anyone who stop this crazy madness of imprisoning people!
 
He’s accused the Labour front bench of “excessive drug taking”.

The Speaker did nothing.

This isn’t Britain.
 
KingKhanWC said:
yep the so called liberals have now transformed into the right, locking people down!


I read Justin the great liberal went into hiding when the trucks started to pour in. Boris stays in the open and takes it on the chin.
Click to expand...

90% of the truckers in Canada are vaccinated, In Ontario province, schools are back in person, so are the restaurants etc.

Most of the truckers are not protesting.
 
shaz619 said:
Utter skum, utter Tory filth. While people were dying and being restrained from being with their loved ones during their suffering, these Tory / pro Brexit vermin's were having a party!

They deserve worse then death, a Boris resignation isn’t enough either, we should bring back capital punishment and charge the idiot with treason.

Proud to be British today [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] :yk3
Click to expand...

Glad you are [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION].

Wouldn’t go as far as treason, but there could be said to be an egregious breach of Health & Safety Act Section 37.

1. Proceedings under HSWA s.37 will require proof of the following elements:

that an offence has been committed under any of the relevant statutory provisions
1 by a body corporate;
that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of or has been attributable to any neglect on the part of the accused; 2 and
that the person accused is a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity, or a member of a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members.

Arguably 20K deaths could have been avoided had the PM locked us down faster.

Couldn’t be proved though.
 
LaLoco said:
90% of the truckers in Canada are vaccinated, In Ontario province, schools are back in person, so are the restaurants etc.

Most of the truckers are not protesting.
Click to expand...

Must be a lot of trucks in Canada, thousands were reported.

Many are supporting the right to choose, which now Boris and his crew have done a u-turn on today too.
 
Sue Gray has blamed a "failure of leadership" for allowing parties to take place in Downing Street when the country was under strict lockdown.

In long-awaited findings, the senior civil servant says some events "should not have been allowed to take place".

Ms Gray investigated 16 separate gatherings - including three that were not previously known about.

Boris Johnson said he accepted the findings in full, as he faced questions and criticism from MPs.

In Ms Gray's findings, she confirms that the Metropolitan Police is investigating 12 events - on eight separate dates - for alleged Covid-rule breaking.

These include the 20 May 2020 "bring your own booze" event in the Downing Street garden, which the PM has apologised for attending, and the PM's birthday party on 19 June 2020.

And the police are also investigating a gathering on 13 November 2020 at Mr Johnson's Downing Street flat.

Asked by Labour MPs if he was at that party, Mr Johnson said he would not give a "running commentary" on something that was being investigated by the police.

Ms Gray says she has been "extremely limited" in how much she can say by the Met's inquiries, and she could not publish a "meaningful" report at this stage.

But she does make pointed criticisms of the culture in Downing Street among senior civil servants and staff, adding that some of the gatherings did not observe the high standards "expected of the entire British population at the time", and that too little thought was given to how they might appear to the public.

"There were failures of leadership and judgement by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times," she writes.

"Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did."

She adds that the "excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time", likely to be a reference to reports of drunken behaviour in the Number 10 garden and staff filling a suitcase with bottles of wine, and recommends a "robust" policy on alcohol consumption.

The report is crucial to Mr Johnson's premiership, which has been rocked by weeks of damaging headlines about parties in Downing Street and other government buildings.

Many Conservative MPs had said they were waiting for its findings to decide whether to try to oust him from office.

If at least 54 of them submit letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee, representing backbench Tory MPs, they can set up a vote on his position.

Mr Johnson addressed a meeting of the committee on Monday evening, after which cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said the "mood was positive".

One Conservative MP who is a long-standing critic of the prime minister said there was little chance of opponents gathering the signatures needed to trigger a vote, but called the party "deluded".

'Didn't get some things right'
In his Commons statement earlier, the PM vowed to learn from Ms Gray's initial findings, saying: "I get it and I will fix it."

"I am sorry for the things we simply didn't get right and also sorry for the way this matter has been handled," he said, as he promised a shake-up of the way Downing Street is run.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the British people believe Mr Johnson should "do the decent thing and resign" but he is "a man without shame".

The SNP's leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford, was ordered to leave the Commons chamber after accusing the prime minister of lying to MPs about the events.

The PM said he would create a specific Office of The Prime Minister, carry out a review of the civil service code of conduct and bring in measures to improve the way government works.

He faced repeated opposition calls to resign after his statement, and to publish the Gray report in full.

Some Tory MPs backed the PM, but others joined in with criticisms.

His predecessor as prime minister and Tory leader, Theresa May, said: "The Covid regulations imposed significant restrictions on the freedoms of members of the public.

"They had a right to expect their prime minister to have read the rules, to understand the meaning of the rules and indeed those around him to have done so too and to set an example in following those rules."

Former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell told MPs that the prime minister no longer had his support.

Aaron Bell - reported to be among backbench Tory MPs to be calling for a no-confidence vote - sad he had followed strict Covid restrictions at his grandmother's funeral and asked Mr Johnson: "Does the PM think I am a fool?"

Ms Gray was forced to rewrite her report after the Met asked last week for only "minimal reference" to be made to events they are looking at, in order to "avoid any prejudice to our investigation".

The leading investigator, Commander Catherine Roper, said officers had been handed "well over" 500 pieces of paper, and more than 300 photographs so far.

They expect to approach in writing, or via email, individuals "identified as having potentially breached", added Ms Roper.

Downing Street said the PM would "ask Sue Gray to update her work in light of what is found" by the Metropolitan Police, when they have finished their inquiries.

"He will publish that update," added a spokesperson.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60203287
 
KingKhanWC said:
I'd rather Boris stays.

He will end the resistrictions completley, end of March.

Time to move on.
Click to expand...

Nothing he does makes any sense, if there is a bit of a spike he will go back to imposing restrictions etc his decisions are driven by his own situation, not what’s best for the people, the guy is colossal idiot and his supporters are mentally disabled
 
Robert said:
Glad you are [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION].

Wouldn’t go as far as treason, but there could be said to be an egregious breach of Health & Safety Act Section 37.

1. Proceedings under HSWA s.37 will require proof of the following elements:

that an offence has been committed under any of the relevant statutory provisions
1 by a body corporate;
that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of or has been attributable to any neglect on the part of the accused; 2 and
that the person accused is a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity, or a member of a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members.

Arguably 20K deaths could have been avoided had the PM locked us down faster.

Couldn’t be proved though.
Click to expand...

Our country has a great track record of protecting the leadership and never holding them to account, even for murder.
 
Most posters (and voters) here are completely ignorant of the politics being played out.

It is in the interest of Labour that Boris is the PM until the next GE. Labour's campaign will focus on Tory failures and with Boris at the helm, there's more chance of him messing up.

If Boris leaves as PM tomorrow, and a competent Tory PM steps in, that's it for Labour. They will not see a whiff of Downing Street until next decade.

Boris isn't going anywhere.
 
shaz619 said:
Well well well, if it isn’t resident Coco / Mr. Fake Muslim.

Defending the Boris like he’s the old man :yk3
Click to expand...

Yawn. Is this all you fake liberals have?

You liberals are the reason this country has gone down the pan. You go ahead and weep for Clegg, he sure served you lies and deceit during his stint, that is if you were even allowed to vote at the time.

LDs will get in bed with any party for a sniff of power. Whether the Tories in 2010, whether now with Labour. No principles, just loses.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Starmer is pathetic, the liberal dems are clowns. Im not fan of ANY politician but I'd rather have anyone who stop this crazy madness of imprisoning people!
Click to expand...

LD party proved their worth. Enemies of democracy, and their leader Clegg bailed when it was revealed he made a U-Turn on student loans for the sake of becoming deputy PM. Now LDs want to side with a pro Zionist Starmer because they are still upset over Brexit and want Boris out.

Most votes for LDs are protest votes. No one actually believe LDs can govern the country. No one

I want Boris to stay even if it means him winding these clowns up and reducing them to tears.
 
Technics 1210 said:
Most posters (and voters) here are completely ignorant of the politics being played out.

It is in the interest of Labour that Boris is the PM until the next GE. Labour's campaign will focus on Tory failures and with Boris at the helm, there's more chance of him messing up.

If Boris leaves as PM tomorrow, and a competent Tory PM steps in, that's it for Labour. They will not see a whiff of Downing Street until next decade.

Boris isn't going anywhere.
Click to expand...

Some truth in this. Every Tory MP issuing identikit defence of Johnson on social media is losing votes. Oppo parties are gaining ground just by doing nothing.
 
shaz619 said:
Well well well, if it isn’t resident Coco / Mr. Fake Muslim.

Defending the Boris like he’s the old man :yk3
Click to expand...

Harsh [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]. While [MENTION=149166]Technics 1210[/MENTION] is a consummate sheet stirrer, I believe him to be coherent in his spiritual beliefs.
 
Embarassing that we have this buffoon travelling to Ukraine and squaring up to Vlad.

The Tories need to pull the rug out from under him, he has done his job which was to force through a botched brexit deal and now should be booted to the kerb.

A Labour government is now inevitable. Need Starmer to bring Uncle Jeremy back into the fold and I'll sign back up.

This has been the worst government and the worst leadership in recent history.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Metropolitan Police says it will not release the names of any individuals from No 10 who are fined over lockdown parties<br><br>It will only reveal the total number of fines issued and the reasons behind them<br><br>For more on this and other news visit <a href="https://t.co/8OWd2TvLrt">https://t.co/8OWd2TvLrt</a></p>— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsBreak/status/1488515589375152133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Technics 1210 said:
Yawn. Is this all you fake liberals have?

You liberals are the reason this country has gone down the pan. You go ahead and weep for Clegg, he sure served you lies and deceit during his stint, that is if you were even allowed to vote at the time.

LDs will get in bed with any party for a sniff of power. Whether the Tories in 2010, whether now with Labour. No principles, just loses.
Click to expand...

Coming from the guy who paints his face white and then attempts to pass of the defender of Islam and Pakistanis you absolute twitt :))

This country has been taken to the gutters by Tories who like to put their bits inside of animals, these are the politically astute individuals who we apparently should rely on and funny how you bend over for them when they do more to harm muslims and minorities then good, yet you will then show fake support for your faith and ethnicity.

Tories have no self respect, especially Coco.
 
Robert said:
Harsh [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]. While [MENTION=149166]Technics 1210[/MENTION] is a consummate sheet stirrer, I believe him to be coherent in his spiritual beliefs.
Click to expand...

Apart from maybe a few who do it due to financial reasons, how can any self respecting Muslim or Minority support the Tories and their leader Boris ?

Their should be fatwa to put them on the level of Ahmadis.
 
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