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LAST UPDATE | 10 Feb 2022
BORIS JOHNSON HAS refuted criticism from a former UK prime minister over his handling of gatherings in Downing Street.
Earlier today, former UK prime minister John Major criticised what he called the “brazen excuses” issued over partygate allegations.
The Conservative launched a scathing speech today as Johnson refused to say whether he would resign if he is fined by police investigating alleged breaches of coronavirus regulations.
Major said ministers had regularly been sent to “defend the indefensible”, making the Government look “distinctly shifty”, as he suggested MPs have a “duty” to act to restore trust in politics.
During a visit Warsaw later today, Johnson responded to Major’s assertions.
He said the idea he had damaged the UK’s standing was “demonstrably untrue”, pointing to his diplomatic efforts on Ukraine.
Johnson is expected to be among the more than 50 individuals in No 10 and Whitehall who will receive legal questionnaires from officers working on Operation Hillman, the probe into the parties.
But he deflected questions about whether he will quit if UK police issue him with a fixed penalty notice over any possible breach of coronavirus regulations.
Speaking in London earlier today, Major said “deliberate lies to Parliament have been fatal to political careers” and “must always be so”.
“At No 10, the Prime Minister and officials broke lockdown laws,” he told the Institute for Government.
“Brazen excuses were dreamed up. Day after day the public was asked to believe the unbelievable. Ministers were sent out to defend the indefensible – making themselves look gullible or foolish.
Collectively, this has made the Government look distinctly shifty, which has consequences that go far beyond political unpopularity. No Government can function properly if its every word is treated with suspicion.
A longstanding critic of Johnson, Major said trust in politics has hit a “low ebb, eroded by foolish behaviour” while “too often, ministers have been evasive, and the truth has been optional”.
Major, who led the UK from 1990 to 1997, stopped short of directly calling for Johnson’s resignation right now, suggesting he would await the verdict of the Metropolitan Police inquiry.
But asked if any leader found to have broken the law should resign, he responded: “That has always been the case.”
In Brussels, Johnson said he would not outline how he will respond until the police investigation concludes as he was questioned about his political future during a press conference with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg to discuss Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“That process must be completed and I’m looking forward to it being completed and that’s the time to say more on that,” the Prime Minister told reporters.
Pressed a second time, Johnson replied: “I understand but we’re going to wait for the process to be completed.”
Further Conservative MPs are poised to call for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister if he is fined, or further damaging details emerge from the Sue Gray inquiry.
The Metropolitan Police said it will be dispatching the questionnaires by the end of the week as officers consider whether to widen the investigation to cover a Christmas quiz in No 10 in December 2020.
Police are reconsidering their decision not to include that event after a photograph emerged of Johnson and colleagues near an open bottle of sparkling wine.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick suggested some of those being contacted by officers will end up with fines.
“Clearly, some, but probably not all, of those people may very well end up with a ticket,” she told BBC Radio London.
The UK Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Johnson had not been contacted by police and that he would not receive “bespoke personal legal advice” from Government lawyers.
Adam Wagner, a lawyer who has been examining Covid-19 regulations, described the dispatching of questionnaires as “very significant” because it means the police think they are approaching a point where they can start issuing fines.
The human rights barrister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It sounds to me, although I haven’t seen the letters, that they’ve decided that relevant gatherings were potentially a breach of the regulations and now they’re asking people ‘Did you have some sort of reasonable excuse?’, which, in law, would effectively be a defence for being there.”
Wagner said a fixed penalty notice is the most likely punishment that would be issued by police as they investigate 12 gatherings.
With Johnson alleged to have been at up to six of them, the lawyer suggested breaches would tot up cumulatively so the Prime Minister “could still be in line for over £10,000 (€11,862) worth of fixed penalty notices if they accumulate”.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace acknowledged that more damaging photos of events could be leaked in the coming days.
“Yes, there could be a photograph tomorrow, the next day or the day after – that’s clearly what’s behind some of the people’s motives,” he told Times Radio.
An interim report last week by senior official Gray disclosed that police are investigating 12 different events at No 10 and Whitehall over the course of 2020 and 2021 for possible breaches of Covid rules.
They include the notorious “bring your own booze” event in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 attended by Johnson, and a gathering in the Prime Minister’s official flat in November 2020.
The Met said the Operation Hillman team are continuing to examine more than 500 documents and 300 images provided to them by the Cabinet Office and will be seeking further information to assist their inquiry.
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Boris’s position – People in Northern Ireland are against the protocol so we are scrapping it to protect the Good Friday agreement
A big lie !!!
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”
Joseph Goebbels
The truth is Boris will do anything and say anything to stay in power even restarting the “troubles”
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have refused to stand for election in the north for over 100 years but continue to believe they know what’s best for its citizens.
@Leo’s Spin Department: yes now they choose a populist anti Boris stance as SF surge in the polls. Not credible like so much with this government.
We can not reduce the price of fuels in this Country because of EU regulations. So we in effect are governed by Europe. At least the UK does not have that problem anymore
@Maurice O Neill: the price of fuel is dearer in Britain
@Maurice O Neill: then how come their fuel prices are as high and what about the rest of the world? Can we blame to EU for global fuel prices?!
@Maurice O Neill: Man you set yourself up for that… can I just ask you “morris” do you always argue with everyone??? Because it seems like you are a true contrarian if ever I saw one
@Maurice O Neill: Trolling again I see. We are part of the EU not a colony of it.
We have rather more voice in the EU (and a lot more support) than NI does in the UK.
@Maurice O Neill: don’t look up
@Maurice O Neill: It all boils down to whether you can afford fuel or not. Even those on jobseekers benefit are on app €208 per week. I believe welfare payments in the UK are not paid weekly and are a lot less.
@Maurice O Neill: are you sure it’s because of EU regulations?! Doesn’t Spain belong to the EU?! They don’t seem to have any problem in reducing fuel (and electricity) prices… https://www.globalvatcompliance.com/globalvatnews/spain-energy-relief-measures/
@Maurice O Neill: Sweet Jaysus you never miss an opportunity to say something ridiculous!! Fuel is more expensive in the UK – You just don’t know or understand what you’re talking about
@Maurice O Neill: The UK doesn’t have that problem? come on Maurice, when the UK do have fuel, they have to ration it and its more expensive. They also have half empty food shelves in supermarkets, and a lack of medicines in Pharmacies.
One of these Days Maurice, you will get on the right side of one of these debates, but it may involve you first having to remove your extreme right-wing reactionary hat for a moment!
@Cobh Rebel Tour Mccarthy:
No fuel shortages in uk or empty shelves – i work there many weeks every year, and fuel prices are comparable.
@Frank Jasper: I’m in the UK every week and fuel is more expensive in the UK
@Maurice O Neill: oh man, why don’t you just leave Ireland and move to Engerland?
You should provide a link to confirm that the EU decides how much each member state charges for fuel.
@James Lough: — He’s probably over there every week to kiss Johnson’s ring and get an update on the brainwashing.
Focusing on fuel prices misses the point. Johnston lied to Unionists for personal gain. That is what he does. He is lying by saying it’s “no big deal”. It is and will be proved to be. Johnston cares only about himself and not the GFA. However, he won’t be around much longer and certainly not by the time the current Bill becomes an Act. Such an Act contravenes an international Treaty and will not stand. The needs and interests of all stakeholders will trump the narrow self-interests of Johnston and his Government and Party. Once the Americans get involved Johnston is finished. The GFA is either bigger than any of the signatories or it’s not?
Johnson wants to remove the Protocol to appease the DUP. He should have stood up to them instead of caving into them. They threaten him and he thinks he needs them. The DUP are an anachronism who are losing support even among protestant voters year by year and they do not act in the interests of the people of NI but in their own selfish interests.
@Nomis Andrews: “He should have stood up to them”
What British or Irish Government has ever really stood up to DUP-like types in Northern ireland?
What happened to Tory NI Sec. Peter Brookes 1990 assertion that Britain had no “selfish strategic or economic interest” in Northern Ireland? Maybe that selfish needed a comma after all?
It must go through the house of lords to be law. Might not get through.
@Thomas Linehan: when is that scheduled? I hope it goes though as it will teach the conservatives and DUP a lesson.
have your say