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Partygate: Boris Johnson claims 'it did not occur' to him that he ...
Sky News
Boris Johnson is facing fresh calls to resign after being fined for attending a Downing Street lockdown party.
The #BorisOut hashtag was trending within moments of the story breaking this week, and it’s not just members of the public who have been calling for him to step down.
It comes after 30 more FPNs were issued in relation to breaches of Covid-19 laws at Downing Street and Whitehall parties, bringing the total to more than 50.
The Telegraph reports that more than a dozen Tories are calling for Johnson to resign.
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While many have yet to speak publicly, a number of Tories have criticised Johnson after he and chancellor Rishi Sunak were given fixed penalty notices.
Four have urged the Conservative leader to quit since he was fined, with a further 10 not retracting their demands for him to leave his post after the release of Sue Gray's redacted report in January.
These are the prominent figures who have questioned Johnson's leadership this past week.
Karen Bradley
Parliament
This week, Karen Bradley, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, called the lockdown gatherings "unforgivable".
Speaking to Stoke-on-Trent Live, she said: "I will spend the next few days consulting my constituents and will decide on what action to take after listening to them. But I do wish to make it clear that, if I had been a minister found to have broken the laws that I passed, I would be tendering my resignation now."
Dr Neil Hudson
Parliament
Dr Neil Hudson, the MP for Penrith and the Borders, said he "categorically will not defend the indefensible" and described the behaviour of Johnson and Sunak as "deeply damaging for our democracy".
"Destabilising the UK Government would undermine international efforts to support the Ukrainian people and bring the despicable Russian invasion to an end," he said.
"I will therefore be looking to the Prime Minister to show the statesmanship he has been showing with Ukraine, and outline a timetable and process for an orderly transition to a leadership election as soon as the international situation permits."
Craig Whittaker
Parliament
Backbencher Craig Whittaker has also demanded that Johnson resign.
According to the Halifax Courier, the Calder Valley MP said during a Facebook Q&A: “I not only think that the prime minister should resign but I also think that Rishi Sunak should resign as well.
“Through this whole process it hasn’t been particularly clear that the prime minister broke any rules until of course he’s been issued with a fixed penalty notice this week.
“My expectation is that he and the chancellor should do the right thing and resign.
Nigel Mills
Parliament
In an interview with the BBC, backbencher Nigel Mills said the PM’s position was no longer “tenable”.
He said: “I don’t think the PM can survive or should survive breaking the rules he put in place…we have to have higher standards than that of people at the top. He’s been fined, I don’t think his position is tenable.
“I think people are rightly angry that at a time when they were observing the very strictest of the rules people who were making the rules didn’t have the decency to observe them…that’s the nub of it.”
Anthony Mangnall
Parliament
The Totnes MP said he was “horrified by the conduct of the PM” and called for him to go in an email to a constituent seen by Sky News.
Tobias Ellwood
Parliament
The Bournemouth East MP said “I do believe the PM should step back” during an interview with Sky News.
Gary Streeter
Parliament
The South West Devon MP called for Johnson to resign in an email to a constituent seen by Sky News.
It follows the resignation on Wednesday of Lord Wolfson of Tredegar as justice minister, who said the “repeated rule-breaking and breach of the criminal law in Downing Street” was not consistent with him remaining in post.
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