Labour has criticised the Prime Minister for again failing to
turn up to the House of Commons to respond to allegations that he
attended an illegal party at the height of lockdown.
yet again ducked
accountability and rejected the chance to come clean over the
reported party in May 2020, instead sending a junior minister to
field questions.
Earlier today, Labour published a list of the number of times the
Prime Minister lied to both Parliament and the House over the
lockdown-breaking party.
, Deputy Leader of the
Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, said:
“Despite having no official engagements listed today, the Prime
Minister has again failed to turn up to Parliament and face the
music.
“His absence speaks volumes. holds the British public in
contempt.
“While key workers toiled round the clock on the frontline,
families lost loved ones and the entire country sacrificed our
freedoms, the Prime Minister was partying.
“The government is rotten to its core.”
ENDS
Notes to editor:
has repeatedly denied
lockdown-breaking parties:
“What I can tell the right hon. and learned Gentleman is that all
guidance was followed completely in No. 10.”
Hansard, 1 December 2021, https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-12-01/debates/A0E282CF-039D-4F26-8F16-946B8C6E2ABC/Engagements?highlight=party#contribution-E950BFA9-CCB7-4ED6-A2C6-8A85AE3006A2
“The right hon. and learned Gentleman drivels on irrelevantly
about wallpaper and parties, playing politics.”
Hansard, 1 December 2021, https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-12-01/debates/A0E282CF-039D-4F26-8F16-946B8C6E2ABC/Engagements?highlight=party#contribution-E950BFA9-CCB7-4ED6-A2C6-8A85AE3006A2
Asked why he would not explain his account of the
allegations, Prime Minister said:
"Because I have told you and what I want to repeat… that the
guidance is there and I am very, very keen that people understand
this."
Sky News, 2 December 2021, https://news.sky.com/video/video-boris-johnson-about-reports-of-boozy-party-during-lockdown-last-year-12484692
When asked about Downing Street Parties in December, the
Prime Minister said:
"All the guidelines were observed"
BBC News, 7 December, 0.25https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1468220898834788352
“I think the right hon. and learned Gentleman probably missed
what I said at the beginning, but I apologise for the impression
that has been given that staff in Downing Street take this less
than seriously. I am sickened myself and furious about that, but
I repeat what I have said to him: I have been repeatedly assured
that the rules were not broken—[Interruption.]
Hansard, 8 December 2021 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-12-08/debates/DB36FDA8-C784-4AEE-8D0C-F95FBB5345E9/Engagements?highlight=party#contribution-31179ABA-6AD2-4698-88CA-1817AB77E677
“I repeat that I have been repeatedly assured since these
allegations emerged that there was no party and that no covid
rules were broken.”
Hansard, 8 December 2021 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-12-08/debates/DB36FDA8-C784-4AEE-8D0C-F95FBB5345E9/Engagements?highlight=party#contribution-31179ABA-6AD2-4698-88CA-1817AB77E677
“Because I have been repeatedly assured that no rules were
broken.”
Hansard, 8 December 2021 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-12-08/debates/DB36FDA8-C784-4AEE-8D0C-F95FBB5345E9/Engagements?highlight=party#contribution-31179ABA-6AD2-4698-88CA-1817AB77E677
“...all the evidence I can see, people in this building have
stayed within the rules… if that turns out not to be the case….
and people wish to bring allegations to my attention or to the
police… then of course there will be proper sanctions…”
The Mirror, 8 December, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-facing-mounting-calls-25651915
“I can tell you once again that I certainly broke no rules…all
that is being looked into.”
ITV News, 13 December 2021,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489I2oZPKj
“Those were people at work, talking about work. I have said what
I have to say about that."
BBC News, 20 December 2021, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59722081
Q: “Did you and Carrie attend a Downing Street party that was
organised by Martin Reynolds on 20 May?”
A (): “All that, as you know, is
the subject of a proper investigation by Sue Grey.”
Sky News, 10 January 2022,
https://news.sky.com/video/boris-johnson-dodges-question-on-whether-he-attended-downing-street-party-during-lockdown-12513317
