Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, is facing calls to resign following revelations that he and his staff broke lockdown regulations.
Johnson addressed the nation on Wednesday and apologised for the way that he had handled the fallout after it was revealed that there had been a drinks party at 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s residence in London. It was held at the height of the British lockdown, when ordinary Britons were prevented from socialising with others or visiting elderly relatives. Johnson said he understood the public’s anger over the incident.
Johnson’s Conservative Party is also split over the issue, with some supporting the Prime Minister while others are calling for him to resign.
Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and a key Johnson ally, has supported the Prime Minister, as has the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and Liz Truss, the foreign secretary. However, other senior figures, such as Douglas Ross, the party’s leader in Scotland, have said he should step down from his post.
Senior figures in other parties, including Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, are calling for Johnson to resign. Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, was quoted as saying Johnson should ‘do the decent thing and resign’.
A report stemming from an investigation into rule breaking around parties at Downing Street during lockdown is due to be published shortly.
The Tories enjoy a comfortable majority in the House of Commons. However, if Johnson had to step down and be replaced, there could be calls for an early election (the next election must be held no later than May 2024). The Tories, in power since 2010, would likely prefer not to fight an election this year, with recent polls showing it trailing the main opposition, the Labour Party.