Downing Street Garden Party: A lot of headwinds despite our apologies

For the first time, UK Prime Minister Johnson has admitted to attending a lockdown garden party – and apologized for it. Still, the air is getting thinner for him. Headwind even comes from within our own ranks.

There have been repeated reports that the British government is not adhering to its own lockdown rules: a garden party was held in Downing Street in May 2020 – although the British were allowed to meet a maximum of one other person from outside their own household.

Now the prime minister has for the first time confirmed participation in the celebration and apologized for it. But the criticism of him does not stop.

According to media reports, even MPs from his own party consider the apology to be insufficient. “We now know that the prime minister spent 25 minutes on what was clearly a party. That means he deceived Parliament,” Tory MP Roger Gale told the BBC. Johnson is now a “dead man walking”, a premier on call. The head of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross, called on Johnson to resign.

Johnson speaks of “work meetings”

The prime minister had previously apologized in the House of Commons for the party on Downing Street during the first corona lockdown in May 2020. He understands popular anger that those who set the rules obviously don’t obey them themselves, Johnson said.

The prime minister admitted that he had been in the garden for about 25 minutes to thank staff for their commitment. However, he emphasized that, in his view at the time, it was a working meeting within the framework of the Corona rules. In retrospect, this was wrong. Johnson’s office manager had invited guests to the event and asked guests to bring their own alcohol.

Resignation calls from the opposition

The opposition then loudly demanded Johnson’s resignation. Labor leader Keir Starmer said Johnson was a man without shame. “The party’s over, Prime Minister,” said the opposition leader in the lower house. “The only question is: will the British public kick him out, will his party kick him out, or will he do the decent thing and step down?”

Few Tories publicly support the prime minister. Minister of Culture Nadine Dorries called for the result of an internal investigation that was already underway to be awaited. Johnson himself had also referred to these investigations in his statement in the House of Commons. The officer Sue Gray is investigating the allegations. She is expected to report back by the end of the month.

Christmas party on Downing Street too?

The prime minister has been under pressure for weeks about his administration’s behavior during the lockdown. In December 2020 there should also have been a Christmas party in the seat of government – also in the middle of lockdown. One counselor had to resign because of this.