Boris Johnson should resign over the “embarrassment” of Partygate, a veteran London Tory has said.
Bromley councillor Nicholas Bennett, who served as a junior minister in Margaret Thatcher’s government, told the Standard that allegations over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown had “snowballed” and could only be resolved by the prime minister’s resignation.
Barnet councillor John Marshall who served for 10 years as MP for Hendon South, said: “I’m ashamed of what has happened.
“I served in Parliament under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. They would not have allowed the culture to develop - that had Friday nights as drinks nights.”
However, Ealing Councillor Julian Gallant said he was “keen for Boris to stay”, citing the vaccine rollout and response to Covid as Mr Johnson’s successes in government.
Earlier on Monday, education secretary Nadhim Zahawi denied that Mr Johnson was in danger of losing his position over partygate.
The cabinet minister said Mr Johnson would remain in place but acknowledged “mistakes” had been made by Downing Street staff after they breached lockdown rules on multiple occasions.
Mr Zahawi said he “did not recognise” reports that the prime minister would unveil a flurry of policy announcements – dubbed “Operation Red Meat” – in a bid to save his premiership and appease furious Tory MPs. These include the freezing of the licence fee payment for the next two years and sending asylum seekers to offshore locations for processing.
