Two thirds of Brits say Boris should quit over Partygate, and Tory MPs left 'humiliated'

11 January 2022, 19:24 | Updated: 11 January 2022, 19:32

A growing number of Tories have lashed out at the Prime Minister
A growing number of Tories have lashed out at the Prime Minister. Picture: Alamy

By Asher McShane

A growing number of Tories have lashed out at the Prime Minister amid the fresh allegations with one saying the revelations have left him "humiliated" and forced him to apologise to constituents.

Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer was asked by one resident: "Any comments for the people of Plymouth you represent about the party at No 10 whilst I was missing my Dads 80th birthday and my wife was working 60 hours a week in a hospital?"

Mr Mercer replied: "I’m sorry. It’s humiliating, and does not reflect the majority of my colleagues who *at least try* and lead by example. Thank you for your sacrifice and your wife’s work. I will always represent you above all else."

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives was another politician to call for the PM to resign if it transpired he was at the party.

Read more: Mum who lost daughter, 14, during May 2020 lockdown too devastated to say the PM's name

Read more: MPs weep in partygate debate as Boris faces fury for ducking showdown

It is understood Boris Johnson was present at the "bring your own booze" bash in the garden of No10 on 20 May 2020 but there has been no official explanation as yet from the Prime Minister due to an ongoing investigation by Sue Gray.

Ben Kentish reports on possible Tory rebellion amid partygate

Douglas Ross said that No10 holding the party was "utterly despicable". Asked if this meant Mr Johnson had to quit if he attended the pary, he said: "Yes, because you cannot put in place these rules, you cannot be the head of the government that is asking people to follow these rules, and then breaking the rules yourself."

A snap poll by Savanta Comres of UK adults found 66% of people thought he should quit and 24% thought he should not.

A growing number of Tories have lashed out at the Prime Minister amid the fresh allegations.

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice spokesperson on No10 partygate

Former No 10 chief of staff Lord Barwell ridiculed the PM on social media - suggesting it would not take an investigation for Boris Johnson to figure out if he had been part of the gathering.

Police are in contact with the Cabinet Office over the claims, which came to a head on Monday night.

It has been alleged that a senior aide to Mr Johnson organised a "bring your own booze" event in the garden behind No 10 on May 20, 2020.

Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister's principal private secretary, sent an email to more than 100 Downing Street employees inviting them to the evening gathering, ITV reported.

Mr Reynolds said they should "make the most of the lovely weather", despite England being under tough coronavirus restrictions banning groups from meeting socially outdoors when the message was sent.

The allegations are being examined by senior official Sue Gray as part of her investigation into claims of lockdown-busting parties in Whitehall and Downing Street.

Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley, said he was incensed by the leaked email.

He told the Telegraph & Argus: "The email from Martin Reynolds infuriates me. As I have previously made clear, I am deeply angered by the thought of any illegal gatherings, parties or social events which took place at Downing Street whilst the rest of the country was in lockdown and following the rules.

"The whole country has sacrificed so much during the pandemic and many are quite rightly furious.

"Investigations into these events at Downing Street during lockdown are ongoing, but answers are needed quickly.

"If any event took place that was in breach of the rules, the strongest disciplinary action must be taken, and I will continue to follow any revelations on this closely."

And Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, told the newspaper that the allegations were "impossible to justify and defend".

"It is clearly unacceptable for anyone in Government to be flouting the laws that they had imposed on everyone else," he said.

"For some of the people who imposed those damaging laws to have been ignoring them will be a bitter pill to swallow for those who faithfully followed them even at huge personal cost, and is impossible to justify and defend."

Ruth Davidson, the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said "people are (rightly) furious".

Responding to health minister Ed Argar's comments on the matter on Tuesday morning, in which he said he understood people were angry but pointed to an ongoing investigation by Ms Gray, she tweeted: "This line won't survive 48 hrs."

"Nobody needs an official to tell them if they were at a boozy shindig in their own garden," she said.

"People are (rightly) furious. They sacrificed so much - visiting sick or grieving relatives, funerals. What tf (sic) were any of these people thinking?"

Lord Barwell, who was chief of staff to Theresa May, also said on Twitter: "Let me put this politely: it is not 'entirely clear' why the Prime Minister needs to wait for Sue Gray's report to find out if he went to a party in his own garden."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Simone White has died following a poisoning with alcoholic drinks at a bar in Loas

British lawyer, 28, dies following suspected mass methanol poisoning at bar in Laos

Breaking
Russia has claimed that Britain is directly involved in the war in Ukraine

Britain now 'directly involved in war in Ukraine', Russian ambassador to UK says

Finlay MacDonald is accused of trying to murder his wife Rowena

Jealous husband 'murdered brother-in-law and tried to kill wife' after finding text saying she planned to leave him

Teenager jailed for least 22 years after fatally stabbing motorbike enthusiast who named attacker in dying breath

Teenager jailed for at least 22 years after fatally stabbing motorbike enthusiast who named attacker in dying breath

Pie fortune heir Dylan Thomas, 24, has been found guilty of murdering his best friend William Bush (R)

Heir to £230m pie fortune found guilty of murdering his best friend on Christmas Eve

Matt Hancock giving evidence at the Covid 19 inquiry

Matt Hancock says government 'got it wrong' with funeral restrictions and visiting dying relatives during pandemic

Body parts - inlcuding arms, legs and a head - belonging to 38-year-old Sarah Mayhew were found in Rowdown Fields in Croydon

Couple facing life in prison after admitting murdering woman and dumping dismembered body parts

'But where are the hams?': Police launch manhunt after thieves steal €200,000 of prized Christmas meat

Police hunt Spanish hamburglars after thieves steal €200,000 of prized Christmas meat

The new advert was published this week.

Rebranded Jaguar sparks further backlash after teasing new car model akin to ‘Tesla Cybertruck’

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year

Arrest warrants issued for Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence minister and Hamas chief over 'war crimes'

Matt Hancock giving evidence at the Covid 19 inquiry

Matt Hancock tells Covid inquiry government did 'everything we possibly could' during pandemic

Matt Hancock was booed as he arrived to testify at the Covid-19 inquiry

Matt Hancock booed as he arrives to give evidence at Covid inquiry

Four days of weather alerts are in place for the arrival of Storm Bert

Storm Bert set to bring snow, blizzards and downpours as four days of weather warnings issued

Kyiv says Russia has fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in an attack on Ukraine

Russia's revenge: Moscow 'launches intercontinental ballistic missile’ in attack on Ukraine

Hannah Ingram-Moore and Captain Tom

Who is Hannah Ingram-Moore? Captain Tom's 'leading businesswomen daughter'

The "Prescott Punch" is one of the most iconic moments in modern British political history

Infamous moment John Prescott punches protester who threw egg at him