Boris Johnson: Former minister joins calls for PM to resign
- Published
Another Conservative MP has called for Boris Johnson to resign as the turmoil at 10 Downing Street continues.
Former minister Nick Gibb is the latest Tory to submit a letter of no confidence in the row over events held at No 10 during lockdown.
And Tory MP Stephen Hammond said he is "considering very carefully" whether he still has confidence in the PM.
But Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries insisted the "vast majority" of Conservative MPs supported Mr Johnson.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports, external a photograph of Mr Johnson holding a beer at a birthday gathering has been handed to police investigating Covid breaches.
The paper said the picture was one of 300 submitted to the Metropolitan Police investigation into 12 alleged gatherings and was thought to have been taken by the PM's official photographer, who is funded by the taxpayer.
It said it showed the prime minister holding a can of beer at an event in No 10's Cabinet Room in June 2020, alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who was holding a soft drink.
At the time, gatherings of more than two people inside were banned by law.
It comes at the end of a difficult week for the PM, which has seen five No 10 aides resign and the publication of the initial findings of the Sue Gray report into events at Downing Street while Covid restrictions were in place.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, external, Mr Gibb, who has served under three prime ministers and who lost his position as schools minister in Boris Johnson's reshuffle last September, said his constituents were "furious about the double standards" and that "to restore trust, we need to change the prime minister".
He said Covid restrictions imposed by Mr Johnson were "flagrantly disregarded" in Downing Street, and the PM was inaccurate when, in December, he told the House of Commons there was no party.
"Some argue that eating a few canapes with a glass of prosecco is hardly a reason to resign. But telling the truth matters, and nowhere more so than in the House of Commons where, like a court of law, truth must be told regardless of the personal consequences," he wrote.
Stephen Hammond, Conservative MP for Wimbledon, told the BBC Radio 4's Week in Westminster programme: "I think all Conservative colleagues, all of whom I know, are in it for trying to do the best for their constituents, and the country will be wrestling with their consciences this weekend."
Mr Hammond said he had not yet submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister but would be considering his next steps "very carefully over the weekend".
He added it "certainly looks like" the beginning of the end for Tory confidence in the prime minister.
Mr Gibb said fellow backbench Tory Aaron Bell had "struck a chord" when he criticised Mr Johnson over lockdown parties earlier this week.
Mr Bell had asked the prime minister if he took him for a fool for following the rules himself - including not hugging his family at his grandmother's funeral, or going for a cup of tea after the service.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries defends the PM saying he does tell the truth
On Friday, Mr Bell said the "breach of trust" over the rule breaking and how it had been handled made the PM's position untenable, as he confirmed he had also submitted a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady - the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.
At least 54 MPs need to write to Sir Graham to trigger a vote on the PM's leadership of the party.
Other Conservative MPs are expected to consider whether to put in their letters over the weekend.
Mr Johnson has written to all Tory MPs to say he is committed to improving the way 10 Downing Street works.
Ms Dorries told the BBC most MPs were "right behind the prime minister because he has delivered... and will continue to do so" and said Mr Johnson had been "very positive" when she communicated with him within the past 24 hours.
She said a huge amount of change was now under way within No 10, but she was "cautious" of asking him to change too much, because of achievements such as having the biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher.
Ms Dorries said those speaking out against Mr Johnson were "the same names" that "keep cropping up" and "no prime minister would please any of those".
She said there were "a few voices being amplified" by the media, describing the comments made by Mr Gibb and Mr Bell as "disappointing".
Aaron Bell asked the PM on Monday if he considered him a "fool".
Speaking on Newsnight, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen suggested it was now the job of the cabinet to "show leadership" and "confront" the issue of the prime minister's leadership.
But his fellow Tory MP Richard Bacon suggested it was not for politicians to change governments - that was for the electorate to take care of.
And Liam Fox, former trade secretary, said there was a danger the party was becoming distracted from big issues such as inflation, the energy crisis and the situation in Ukraine.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There will need to be closure on this issue, in the Conservative Party and in the country, and I think when there's more to say, we should say it, and there are questions that will need to be answered."
Some of Mr Johnson's supporters, including one former cabinet minister, have criticised the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who this week distanced himself from the prime minister's controversial comments about Sir Keir Starmer, for being disloyal at a difficult time.
No 10 policy chief Munira Mirza quit on Thursday, describing Mr Johnson's comments on Sir Keir as "scurrilous".
The prime minister falsely claimed the Labour leader had failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile during his time as director of public prosecutions.
Mr Sunak said he "wouldn't have said it", while on Friday Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Sir Keir "did a good job and should be respected for it".
Timeline: Downing St gatherings
The government has faced intense pressure over gatherings held in and around Downing Street during Covid lockdowns. A police investigation into several of the events has now concluded, with more than 100 fines having been issued to attendees. Here is what we know about the gatherings and the restrictions in place at the time:
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said "those people were at work talking about work".
The rules:
Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.
This event was not investigated by the police.
About 100 people were invited by email to "socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening". Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended.
Boris Johnson apologised to MPs for attending the event, saying he spent 25 minutes thanking staff, before returning to his office.
The police investigation determined that this event did breach the rules in place at the time.
A gathering took place in the Cabinet Office to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
The police investigation determined that this event did breach the rules in place at the time.
We know at least one fine has been issued after the government's former head of ethics admitted receiving one and apologised for attending the event.
On Boris Johnson’s birthday, up to 30 people gathered in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to present the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday, according to a report by ITV News.
No 10 said staff had "gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes".
The rules:
Restrictions at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.
The police investigation determined that this event did breach the rules in place at the time.
We know at least three attendees have received fines from the police, with the PM, his wife Carrie Symonds and Chancellor Rishi Sunak all confirming they have paid fixed penalty notices.
Two gatherings are understood to have taken place in Downing Street on this date: one to mark the departure of a special adviser and one in the Downing Street flat.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, the gathering in the flat where Mr Johnson and his wife live was to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings, the PM's former senior adviser. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place.
The rules:
Eight days earlier Boris Johnson had announced a new lockdown in England. Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.
The police investigation determined that an event on this date did breach the rules in place at the time but they have not confirmed whether it was one or both of the events.
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.
This event was not investigated by the police.
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
The rules:
Eight days earlier, London had been placed in restrictions which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless "reasonably necessary" for work purposes.
This event was not investigated by the police.
The Conservative Party has admitted that an "unauthorised gathering" took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party's London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee.
In December, police said they would be contacting two people who attended the party.
This event was not included in Sue Gray's report.
Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo - published by the Sunday Mirror - shows Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.
The rules: At this time, the rules in London banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless "reasonably necessary" for work purposes.
This event was not investigated by the police.
The Department for Transport has apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices, calling it "inappropriate" and an "error of judgment" by staff.
This event was not included in Sue Gray's report.
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce - the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.
Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was "truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result".
A second gathering was held in the Cabinet Office to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office.
A third gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of a No 10 official
The police investigation determined that an event on this date did breach the rules in place at the time but they have not confirmed whether it was one or all of the events.
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street on this date.
However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton joking about reports of the event, saying: "This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced."
The police investigation determined that this event did breach the rules in place at the time.
A gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of two private secretaries.
The police investigation determined that this event did breach the rules in place at the time.
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip's funeral.
One of the events was a leaving party for the PM's then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it "should not have happened at the time that it did".
Boris Johnson was not at either party.
The rules
The rules had been eased in England on 12 April, but working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.
The police investigation determined that an event on this date did breach the rules in place at the time but they have not confirmed whether it was one or both of the events.
We know fines have been issued to some people who attended Mr Slack’s leaving party, but we do not know who they were issued to.
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- Published4 February 2022
