Boris Johnson mocking system, Covid-breach mayor says

Councillor Iftakhar Hussain quit as mayor after attending a wedding party

A former Lancashire mayor who resigned after breaking Covid rules said the prime minister should also quit as he has "made a mockery of the system".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for going to a Downing Street drinks party during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Councillor Iftakhar Hussain stood down as Blackburn with Darwen mayor after attending a wedding party last year.

He said he had "held his hands up" as it was the "right thing to do".

At a stormy Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson apologised for attending the "bring your own booze" party in May 2020 and said he regretted his actions.

He told MPs he believed the event was work-related.

Mr Hussain, who is still a Blackburn with Darwen councillor, told BBC Radio Lancashire the prime minister should resign "because he has made a mockery of the system".

"I made a mistake and I owned up to it and I think the prime minister should do the same.

"I shouldn't have [gone to the wedding], I put my hands up and stepped aside," he said.

The Labour councillor for Bastwell and Daisyfield ward said resigning was "absolutely the right thing to do" as he did not want to "bring the beautiful borough into disrepute".

It was an "honourable decision", he said.

Meanwhile, Labour councillor in Blackpool David Owen said he believed it was "just a matter of time before [the prime minister] goes" due to "intense pressure" on him.

The former mayor of the resort spoke of his "disbelief" over such "daft decisions".

He said there was a feeling of "disgust" among his constituents, because people did "what was expected of them and they trusted him and stayed indoors".

He said they felt "ordinary folk have been treated [with] contempt".

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However, Rossendale and Darwen's Conservative MP, Jake Berry, said Mr Johnson should remain as prime minister even though he felt "angry" like many of his constituents.

He said the prime minister "knows he got it wrong" and had made a "heartfelt apology".

But he said "the leadership he has shown throughout the pandemic" showed he was the right person to lead the country.

Mr Johnson has cancelled a visit to Lancashire after a family member tested positive for coronavirus.

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