Green
activists in North Staffordshire have joined the party leadership in calling
for Boris Johnson to resign as he and chancellor Rishi Sunak are handed fines
for attending ‘gatherings’ held at Downing Street during lockdown.
In an
embarrassing first for British politics, they became the first sitting prime
minister and chancellor to face criminal charges. They have both also been
accused of lying to parliament by initially denying they had attended any of
the parties held during lockdown.
Green
Party co-leader Adrian Ramsey said their actions were a ‘damning indictment’ of
the ‘reckless culture’ operating within the Conservative Party.
He
said that “During lockdown, people throughout the country were making
unimaginable sacrifices, yet Boris Johnson and his chums thought they could act
with apparent impunity, regardless of what they were asking others to do” [1].
Boris
Johnson issued a what he described as a ‘full apology’, speaking from his
country retreat at Chequers saying “I understand the anger that many will feel
that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules that the government,
I lead had introduced to protect the public. I accept in all sincerity that
people have a right to expect better.” [2].
Despite
this he has rejected calls for him to resign saying he is instead that he is
“focused on delivering for the British people at this challenging time”.
Chancellor
Rishi Sunak also gave an “unreserved apology” for the “frustration and anger”
caused. Both men have paid the £50 fine imposed.
Adrian
Ramsey said the refusal of the prime minister to resign was indicative of the
“cruel and callous” attitude of his government and showed that “throughout the
Conservative Party there runs a streak of sheer contempt for the vast majority
of us”.
A
spokesperson for North Staffs Green Party said “during the two lockdowns people
made heart wrenching sacrifices for the good of the wider community, including
not being at the bedside of dying relatives. The least they should expect is
for those who lead the country to share their hardships”.
Adding
that Boris Johnson has behaved with “sickening irresponsibility and has
insulted everyone who has suffered over the past two years”.
The
prime minister may face further charges relating to lockdown parties with the
Met Police still to investigate gatherings held in May and November 2020 at
which he was present [3].
Tory
back benchers, some of whom had sent letters to the chair of the 1922 committee
calling for a leadership election then withdrawn them at the outbreak of the
Ukraine crisis, have continued to back Johnson.
Only
Nigel Mills and Craig Whittaker, MPs for, respectively, the Amber and Calder
Valley seats, have publicly called for the prime minister to resign.
Nigel
Mills told the Guardian “I think for a prime minister in office to be given a
fine and accept it and pay it for breaking the laws that he introduced … is
just an impossible position”.
There
has also been one ministerial resignation with Tory peer Lord Wolfson stepping
down as justice minister citing the prime minister’s “own conduct” and the
“official response to what took place”.
In his
resignation letter quoted on Sky News he writes that the “recent disclosures
lead to the inevitable conclusion that there was repeated rule-breaking, and
breaches of the criminal law, in Downing Street” [4].
Adding
that he had “come to the conclusion that the scale, context and nature of those
breaches mean that it would be inconsistent with the rule of law for that
conduct to pass with constitutional impunity".
There
is, Adrian Ramsey said “nowhere left for Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to hide.
They both broke the very laws they made to try and keep this country safe in a
pandemic”, adding that the only way they can “maintain a shred of decency is to
apologise for the harm caused and step aside.”
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