Boris Johnson should quit over lockdown fines - bereaved mother

  • Published
Related topics
Isabel McEgan with her motherImage source, Family handout
Image caption,

Isabel McEgan's mother Amanda and her father were the only people who could visit her in hospital

The prime minister should resign over his "Machiavellian attitude" during Covid-19 lockdowns, a mother whose daughter died during the pandemic says.

It comes as it was confirmed Boris Johnson was fined for attending a birthday party thrown for him during a lockdown in June 2020.

Isabel McEgan, 19, of Merseyside, died from cancer weeks before the illegal party with just her parents with her.

Her mum Amanda said they stuck to rules while Mr Johnson disregarded them.

The prime minister's wife and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were also fined for the same event, with all three confirming they had paid.

Mr Johnson has apologised but has not offered to resign.

'Without proper closure'

Mrs McEgan, of Prescot, said for two months only her and Isabel's father were able to visit her in hospital and at her funeral, only a handful of mourners were allowed to attend.

The teacher told BBC North West Tonight the restrictions left lots of people who lost loved ones "without proper closure".

"When you lose a child you really want to do the right thing and I feel like we didn't get that opportunity to have a proper funeral and send-off.

"The last few years has been spent trying to make amends for that."

She said the prime minister's "disregard" and "Machiavellian attitude" during the lockdowns made it "more hurtful".

Image source, Family handout
Image caption,

Isabel McEgan was 19 when she died from cancer in May 2020

"We were locked down with Isabelle desperately ill with terminal cancer [and] not seeing anybody, not even her sister, for the last eight weeks of her life," she said.

"We did the right thing because as a teacher it is something I instil in the children I teach to have moral integrity; that the truth is the most important thing."

Calling on Mr Johnson to resign, she added: "A prime minister needs to show integrity; he's shown none."

Mr Johnson, who is the UK's first serving prime minister to be sanctioned for breaking the law, said: "I accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better.

"[But] now I feel an even greater sense of obligation to deliver on the priorities of the British people."

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk