York Outer MP Julian Sturdy has recognised the public anger over the Downing Street lockdown party – and said he will ‘hold the Prime Minister to account’.
Today Boris Johnson apologised for attending a “bring your own booze” gathering in the garden of No 10 during England’s first lockdown.
The Prime Minister insisted he believed it had been a “work event”. He attended the May 20 2020 gathering for around 25 minutes to “thank groups of staff” but “with hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside”.
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But in a sign that he is losing the loyalty of Conservative MPs, his colleague Mr Sturdy said Mr Johnson’s response “will not wash”.
“The recent revelations about the party in the garden of Number 10 on the 20 May 2020 are deeply disturbing and further undermine public confidence in the judgment of the Prime Minister, who must take full responsibility,” Mr Sturdy said.
The events of that day are now part of an independent investigation “and we must of course wait for its conclusion,” he said.
But he added: “Whist the investigation will decide if any rules were broken, it is already clear that the Prime Minister’s assertion that this was a work-related event will not wash with the British public, who at the relevant time were making significant sacrifices.
“The fact is, that at a time when people were not allowed to attend the funeral of their loved ones or comfort their dying relatives, when fines were being issued for people meeting for a coffee in the park, Downing Street should not have been holding social events of any sort.
“I share the frustration and disappointment of the many constituents who have contacted me over this and assure them that I will make this known in holding the Prime Minister to account.”