TORY MP David Mundell has broken his silence over Boris Johnson’s partygate crisis.
The former Scottish Secretary – who was sacked by Johnson when he became Prime Minister in 2019 – has told constituents of his anger over the affair.
“It is not hard to understand the frustration and indeed deep anger felt by so many people, myself included, at the unfolding of recent events,” he wrote to one voter in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale.
Johnson has been asked repeatedly in the Commons for a full explanation of what happened at a series of alleged parties in Downing Street, which are said to have taken place when England was in lockdown and when Covid restrictions did not allow social gatherings.
He has said he will give a statement to the Commons when the inquiry into the matter being carried out by senior civil servant Sue Gray has been completed.
It is unclear when Gray’s report will be published with suggestions that it may not be made public until after a separate police investigation has been conducted.
Mundell said in his letter that he could see no reason why the Prime Minister could not give “a full explanation” of what happened before Gray’s report came out.
He told his constituent: “There have been calls, which I support, for a full explanation of the events in question to be given before the publication of the official report into the events in question.
“Certainly, I cannot see that offering this information could in any way prejudice the outcome of the report, and it would provide for the public answers to which they are most definitely entitled in these circumstances.
“Prime Ministers Questions was an opportunity for that full, straightforward explanation to be given, but I regret that I do not believe it was taken. That being the case, I will now await the outcome of the expected report by Ms Gray and judge matters in the light of its findings.”
Johnson has been fighting to hold onto his premiership with Tory MPs waiting to read Gray’s report before deciding whether to put in letters of no confidence. Some 54 letters are needed to trigger a no confidence vote.
Now, however, with the Metropolitan Police inquiry ongoing, they may wait until that is concluded before deciding whether or not to send in no confidence letters.
In an interview yesterday, Starmer accused Johnson of using the Met as a “shield” as it emerged that Gray could delay publishing her report on Downing Street lockdown parties.
The senior civil servant is weighing up whether to delay the release until police investigations have concluded. Scotland Yard yesterday morning told her not to release key parts in case it prejudiced a criminal investigation. Gray may also choose to hand it over to the prime minister for publication in a limited form.
The row has put the Scottish Tories at odds with their colleagues in Westminster.
Earlier this month, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called for the Prime Minister to resign after he admitted attending the event in the Number 10 garden in May 2020 during lockdown.
His call sparked a row with members of the Tory cabinet with Jacob Rees-Mogg describing Ross as a “lightweight”.
Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson also then called for Johnson to step down, going further than Ross by saying Johnson was “unfit” for office.
Johnson has apologised to the Commons but insisted the event in May 2020 in the Downing Street garden was “work” and that the garden was an extension of his Downing Street office.
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