British Prime Minister’s career hung by a thread after the multiple controversies following the ‘party gate’ that prompted his resignation
Alcohol, banned parties, lies and ongoing public outcry have accompanied British Prime Minister Boris Johnson since December last year, when the first evidence of what is now known as a ‘party gate’ came to light. The scandal in which the ‘Prime Minister’ and many other government officials celebrated with alcohol in Downing Street, amid a pandemic and with no security measures, after the announcement of the ban on all social gatherings has laid the groundwork for the decline in his popularity. In just six months, Johnson has sunk so low that his political future is very uncertain.
The trigger for its downfall was the publication last December of a video confirming a Christmas celebration when restrictions put in place by the government to contain the spread of Covid banned such gatherings. And then, in early January, with the unveiling of an email from his private secretary, Martin Reynolds, inviting 100 employees to a big party in the Downing Street garden on 20 May 2020. It was the chronicle of a predicted death. The criticism was not long in coming and after confirming that he had not attended the controversial ‘spree’, he eventually apologized after finally admitting that he had attended the social gathering, although he ‘implicitly assumed’ that it was a ‘work event’. At the time, a possible dismissal from the position was in sight, a move that the opposition and much of the public have demanded, but Johnson remained steadfast in his stance.
Shortly afterwards, the flame was fanned with new controversy. “Friday Wine,” as Number 10’s employees called them, where this classic weekly tradition of last workday bubbling happened that didn’t stop even in confinement during the pandemic. In fact, as published by the newspaper ‘The Mirror’, the event was so popular that the staff invested £142 (about 170 euros) in purchasing a mini fridge with a capacity of 34 bottles to keep the “wine and beer” cool. to keep . To save his bad reputation, Johnson banned alcohol at the executive headquarters.
Since then, the official Sue Gray’s investigation threatened the peace of the “Prime Minister.” Although his sleeping problems also came from other regions. Citizens turned against him, some even with humor. This is the case of a hundred Britons who protested in the streets of London disguised as Johnson. Dressed in a suit, tie, with blonde wigs and wearing ‘Prime Minister’ masks, they drank alcohol while chanting ‘my name is Boris’ and ‘this is a work meeting’, referring to the excuse he presented in parliament . His popularity plummeted on the street. “People have sacrificed a lot and the least you can expect from the government is to follow its own rules,” said Tom, a 22-year-old chemistry student. “Giving a party when you’ve told people you can’t get together… The lack of ethics and morality is exaggerated. How can you run the country with such a lack of decency,” added her friend Grace.
He has been criticized from all sides in the political sector, even from his own ranks, as he initially denied attending these parties in parliament and later, after photos came to light in which he was warned in the self with a drink in hand, admit their presence and apologize for it. The opposition has repeatedly asked for his ‘head’. The Labor Party leader, Keir Starmer, has once again demanded the resignation of the ‘Prime Minister’ for his ‘inability to lead’. Even from the conservative side they criticize him. “We need leadership. Lead or step aside,” said Conservative Deputy Tobias Ellwood, who said the president’s future at the head of the United Kingdom is “unsustainable” because of his “pattern of behaviour”. Over time, the list of deputies who asked for his resignation has expanded significantly.
As early as April, Scotland Yard fined him for skipping the restrictions imposed by his own government, celebrating his birthday, June 19, 2020, with 30 officials, advisers and ministers. The “Prime Minister” paid the amount of the sentence and apologized, although he again defended his innocence. On May 20, the police closed the investigation into the ‘party gate’ with 126 fines. And just four days later, new photos were revealed of Johnson at another illegal party on November 13, 2020, violating the incarceration rules he had imposed just a week earlier.
The straw that broke a glass that was too full was Sue Gray’s report, in which she emphasized that the government had made “leadership mistakes” and called for “responsibilities” to be cleared, for which Johnson apologized but did not resign. However, the Home Office Secretary to Parliament, Paul Holmes, denounced that “a toxic culture number 10 seems to have invaded”. Johnson is the first British president to break the law while in charge of the country, but so far he has resisted political and citizen pressure. Hungry for six months, and a chest for his role as a mediator in the war in Ukraine, the motion of censure now determines his future.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
