LONDON — Britain’s main opposition leader on
Sunday accused Prime Minister
Boris Johnson of breaking the law, but the
government vowed changes after an explosive series of revelations about
lockdown-breaching parties.
اضافة اعلان
In the latest,
Johnson’s wife Carrie was
photographed on the front page of the Sunday Telegraph embracing a friend at a
September 2020 party, in violation of the then rules on social distancing.
Carrie Johnson “regrets the momentary lapse”, a
spokesperson told the newspaper, after she was also pictured with the prime
minister and others enjoying drinks in the Downing Street garden.
At least six lawmakers in Johnson’s Conservative
party have now called publicly for him to quit, while others say they are
awaiting the findings of an internal inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
“I have regretfully come to the conclusion that
Boris Johnson’s position is now untenable, that his resignation is the only way
to bring this whole unfortunate episode to an end and I am working with
colleagues to impress that view on Number 10,” former minister Tim Loughton
tweeted.
Labor leader Keir Starmer, who is enjoying an
opinion poll surge on the back of the Downing Street “partygate” allegations,
said the facts were already clear.
“I think he broke the law. I think he’s as good as
admitted that he broke the law,” Starmer told BBC television, accusing Johnson
also of lying to parliament.
Gray only has the remit to establish the facts, he
added, calling for the police to look into a possible criminal inquiry once her
report is out.
“The prime minister has degraded the office of prime
minister and he has lost full authority not only in his own party, but in the
country,” Starmer said.
Interviewer in tears
Three polls this week have
each given Labor a 10-point lead over the Conservatives, and some in the ruling
party want Johnson out in good time before Britain holds local elections in
May.
The latest poll in Sunday’s Observer newspaper said
Johnson’s personal approval rating had fallen below the worst figure recorded
by his hapless predecessor, Theresa May.
Government minister
Oliver Dowden, the
Conservatives’ co-chairman, said Johnson was “very contrite and deeply
apologetic”.
But Dowden backed Johnson to stay in office as he
was interviewed by Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips, who broke down in tears
as he described observing the rules when his own daughter died during the
pandemic.
“I can tell you that when he responds to the House
of Commons, as he has committed to do so, he will make sure that we address the
kind of culture that has allowed that to happen in the first place,” Dowden
said.
After weeks of denials and stonewalling, Johnson
this week apologized in parliament for at least one boozy event organized by
his staff which he attended in May 2020, when Britons were banned from
socializing.
Two other parties were held in April 2021 as Queen
Elizabeth II prepared to bury Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years. Downing
Street sent apologies to Buckingham Palace, calling them “deeply regrettable”.
Number 10 reboot
But those were not isolated
events, according to Saturday’s Daily Mirror, which published a photograph of a
fridge being delivered to a Downing Street back door in December 2020 for “Wine
time Fridays”.
Reports at the
weekend said Johnson plans to reset his premiership with a clearout of top
aides and a blitz of policy announcements, including an easing of current COVID
restrictions on January 26.
Dowden indicated that the restrictions in England
would indeed be lifted, as a surge in infections from the Omicron variant over
the New Year begins to fade.
Starmer agreed with the need to lift the curbs “as
soon as possible” if government scientists agree, but noted the backdrop of
political scandal.
“I want them to be lifted because the medical science says
they should be lifted, not simply because the prime minister is in a real mess
and he’s desperately trying to get out of it,” the Labor leader said.
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