New allegations in the “Partygate” affair: In the seat of government of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the corona rules are said to have been broken not only occasionally but regularly with boozy celebrations. Like several media on Saturday to report There have been repeated gatherings under the motto “Wine-time Fridays”, although at the time indoor gatherings were strictly prohibited under lockdown regulations.
The prime minister encouraged employees to “let off steam” and also visited these meetings several times himself. The employees bought an office refrigerator especially for the regular meetings to keep their bottles of white wine, Prosecco and beer cool. Friday meetings are after Mirrorclaims have long been a ‘Downing Street tradition’, also under previous British governments. The meetings continued even after corona restrictions were imposed.
Johnson’s resignation ‘in the national interest’
This puts Johnson under even more political pressure than he already has. British opposition leader Keir Starmer has now denied the prime minister’s ability to govern. It is now in the “national interest” for Johnson to resign, the leader of the opposition Labor Party said at a conference in London on Saturday. He called on the prime minister’s conservative Tory party to do what was necessary and get rid of Johnson. You have a prime minister “who has lost the moral authority to lead,” Starmer said. This authority is needed right now in the pandemic. Britain faces other major challenges – and Johnson is “absent” and in hiding, according to the Labor leader.
Several members of his own party had already called for Johnson’s resignation. He wants to get out of trouble politically with a comprehensive restart. Internal investigations are currently underway into the lockdown parties in his seat of government, and the prime minister wants to wait for the results.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister apologized in Parliament for a garden party at his official residence. But further revelations followed, including celebrations at the seat of government on the eve of the funeral of Queen consort Prince Philip in April 2021. At that time, strict corona rules applied in Great Britain, which meant that Queen Elizabeth II had to sit alone in the chapel of her Windsor residence when her husband was buried.