Thatcher was sacked in the Gulf War - Ukraine shouldn't stop us binning Boris, Labour says

29 March 2022, 18:54 | Updated: 29 March 2022, 19:06

Is now a sensible time to boot Boris out of No10

Labour's Shadow Chancellor has told LBC the Conservatives can replace Boris Johnson now despite the war in Ukraine.

Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr, Rachel Reeves pointed out that Margaret Thatcher was replaced as Prime Minister during the Gulf War and claimed the war in Ukraine should therefore not stand in the way of replacing Boris Johnson.

"In the first Gulf War the Conservatives got rid of Margaret thatcher and replaced her with John Major," the MP told Andrew.

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She added that there was agreement across the House on how the Government should help Ukraine, so a change in leadership would not impact that.

"I think that there is unity in the House of Commons across the political spectrum about what needs to be done to protect the Ukrainian people and stand alongside them," she said.

"My view hasn't changed of Boris Johnson, I think that he is a liar and that he's not fit to govern."

Margaret Thatcher was removed from office in November 1990, two months after the Gulf War started.

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UK doesn't need police evidence to know PM broke rules

Ms Reeves also defended Labour's decision to call for Mr Johnson to resign now without waiting for the outcome of the Metropolitan Police investigation into lockdown-breaching parties at Downing Street.

"I think that we have all the evidence that we need that he was at the parties, he has now admitted that," she said.

"The amount of police time that has been taken up because of the lies and the cover-up - the police should be out there prosecuting criminals on the street but instead they have to investigate this Prime Minister because he is incapable of telling the truth."

Read more: The idea Boris will go over partygate is quaint while Ukraine war rumbles on, says Andrew Marr

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She added: "We called on him to resign because of this scandal of parties and lies and cover up, and in the end... the culture comes from the top, and you played that clip earlier of the Prime Minister saying all the rules were followed at all times, later his defence was 'there might have been parties but I knew nothing about them', then 'there were parties and I was at them but I didn't know that they were the rules'.

"He made the rules.

"And I think the really important point here, Andrew, is that millions of people across our country made huge sacrifices to protect one another and Boris Johnson was partying."

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The Met confirmed on Tuesday they would issue an initial 20 fines over parties held in Downing Street and Whitehall.

Scotland Yard has been investigating 12 gatherings which took place at Downing Street and Whitehall, including some Boris Johnson is said to have attended.

The force has confirmed it will be making 20 initial referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to the ACRO Criminal Records Office - which issues the FPNs.

But Scotland Yard won't be sharing who will be slapped with a fine.