BORIS Johnson should be “forced” to resign over garden party revelations by Tory MPs, the House of Commons was told.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford made the plea during an exchange with Paymaster General Michael Ellis, who answered urgent questions regarding the “bring your own booze” gathering on behalf of the PM, on Tuesday.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was granted the urgent question, said Johnson’s absence from the Tory benches “speaks volumes”.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson speaks out in party row – while Scottish Tories are in 'hiding'
There were a number of calls for the Prime Minister to resign from MPs during the session in the Commons.
Ellis was relentlessly heckled as he tried to answer questions on the beleaguered PM’s attendance at the party, and said the issue had been referred to the investigation currently underway by civil servant Sue Gray.
It comes as the PM gave full backing to Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, who “continues in his role” despite inviting more than 100 employees to bring their own alcohol to a party in the Number 10 garden during covid restrictions.
Speaking in the Commons, Blackford said the matter was “serious” because it involved the Prime Minister breaking rules that he himself set.
Blackford said: “The harsh reality is that people round these islands watched loved ones dying, and missing funerals, and the PM and his staff partied behind the walls of his private garden.”
He explained that on the day the garden party is alleged to have taken place, the Met police released advice to only meet one person outside, and Oliver Dowden, then Culture Secretary, held a press conference reiterating the rules.
Blackford also asked if Gray had attended the May garden party where attendees were told to “bring your own booze”.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford reacts to bonkers Sky News question about No 10 parties
He continued: “Mr Speaker this is a Prime Minister that has lost his moral authority, he doesn’t deserve the respect and trust of people in these islands.
“If he won’t do the decent thing and recognise that he ought to resign, I say to the minister and I say to the conservative backbenchers, that they are going to have to do what the PM has failed to do and force him from office, and do it now.”
Ellis said: “I don’t accept the characterisation that the Right Honourable Gentleman puts. It’s clear that in this country the same rules apply to everyone, and that is why there is an investigation in process.
The PM, bottom right, has given full backing to Martin Reynolds, back left.
“I hope he will not adopt the approach of questioning the integrity of any civil servant who is investigating this matter.
“We know that Sue Gray is someone who has conducted previous investigations with thoroughness and vigor, and I think we can rest assured that the result of her inquiry will be in the public domain in due course. She is a person of integrity and upstanding, so I hope he will not adopt that approach.”
It comes as Angela Rayner said it was “disappointing, but not unsurprising” the Prime Minister didn’t appear in the Commons, adding “he can run, but he can’t hide.”
READ MORE: Tory MP torn apart for absurd defence of Downing Street party
Rayner said the “Prime Minister sets the tone” in Downing Street.
She said: “That day, the House heard from the Prime Minister himself that 181 NHS workers and 131 social care staff had died, many people made huge personal sacrifices and the minister, quite frankly, hides behind the Gray investigation.
“There’s no need for an investigation into the simple central question today: did the Prime Minister attend the event in the Downing Street garden on the 20 May 2020?
Rayner brought the urgent question in the House of Commons
“It won’t wash to blame this on a few junior civil servants, the Prime Minister sets the tone.
“If the Prime Minister was there, surely he knew. The invitation was sent to 100 staff, many of them his own most personal senior appointees, this was organised in advance, so did the Prime Minister know about the event beforehand and did he give his permission for it go ahead?
“And if so, did he believe this event was (in) keeping with the restrictions at the time and the guidelines, and was the chief medical officer consulted before it went ahead?”
READ MORE: Met Police sued by Good Law Project over No 10 Christmas parties
Cabinet Office minister Ellis replied: “It is not routine for the Prime Minister to answer urgent questions before this House, his ministers are appointed to do so, but he also attends this House more often than anyone else to answer questions and will be doing so tomorrow in the normal way at Prime Minister’s Question time.”
Ellis added that he did have confidence in the Prime Minister’s “integrity and honour”.
It comes as Ellis (pictured) suggested that the findings of the party inquiry will be delayed due to the increasing number of allegations which need to be scrutinised.
Ellis, asked about why the impact of a “drip feed” of party’s reported in the press, said: “We have a number of dates that have come out at different times and that will, presumably, have an effect of delaying matters.”
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