'That man doesn't take responsibility': MPs on Cross Question criticise Boris Johnson

8 December 2021, 23:53 | Updated: 8 December 2021, 23:58

Labour shadow Health Sec hits out at Boris Johnson

By Daisy Stephens

MPs from three different parties have hit out at Boris Johnson on tonight's Cross Question amid the ongoing row about alleged Downing Street Christmas parties, with Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying he has "never taken responsibility for anything in his life".

Mr Streeting said dishonesty is "part of who [Mr Johnson] is", adding: "He is never going to change."

"What makes me really angry today is that his actions, the actions of people around him, have undermined public trust and confidence in the Government at a serious moment in a national crisis and is undermining confidence in public health measures which we believe are necessary in order to deal with this new variant," he told Iain Dale.

"And I really think Conservative MPs need to really think about whether this is the person that is fit to take us through the next phase of this crisis, and on the parties in particular - Boris Johnson has lied again and again and again."

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He claimed Boris Johnson is "different from every single one of his predecessors" from both the Labour and Tory parties, saying: "Every single one that I've known in my lifetime, none of them have been as dishonest, self-serving and frankly dangerous as this one."

Referring to Boris Johnson, Mr Streeting also said "that man doesn't take responsibility" and that "he's never taken responsibility for anything in his life".

Christian Wakeford voices concerns about Boris Johnson

Tory MP Christian Wakeford described the last couple of weeks as "shocking", saying: "There's no way to hide behind it.

"It's been embarrassing."

After he was asked if he had "confidence that Boris Johnson is the man" to enable him to keep his marginal seat at the next election, he said: "If it's the Boris Johnson from the last couple of weeks, I think it's going to be tough."

When Iain asked him what he'd like the Prime Minister to do differently, Mr Wakeford said: "I think we actually need some energy. We actually just need some honesty... some coherency and common sense would go a long way."

He said there was still "quite a lot of loyalty" to the Prime Minister within the parliamentary Conservative Party and that "there's an element of benefit of the doubt but that...only goes so far".

"The last couple of weeks have been really straining that relationship," he said.

Boris Johnson is 'toxic for the Union'

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said she knew of "lifelong Tories who consider themselves Conservatives but do not identify with Boris Johnson" and that there is an "opportunity" for other parties at the next election.

She also said:" But I think it's also true to say that he is toxic for the Union. Boris Johnson is the SNP's best friend."

Ms Moran added that Scottish Tories were criticising Boris Johnson because "they can see the damage that this is going to do in the spectre of a potential another referendum, which obviously none of us want".

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"And actually what we have here is a chancer, someone who wrote two essays before he decided which way he was going to go in terms of Leave and Remain," she said, referencing Mr Johnson's stance in the EU referendum.

"What he does is he looks at the landscape and he goes 'what's the best thing for Boris Johnson' and then he picks that.

"And I think people don't want that. They want a leader with beliefs."