Tory peer quits over ‘scale’ of Partygate
A CONSERVATIVE peer has quit as justice minister over breaches of Covid regulations in Downing Street.
David Wolfson said in a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he was quitting not only over the events themselves or the PM’s “own conduct”, but also “the official response to what took place”.
Lord Wolfson said he had reached the “inevitable conclusion that there was repeated rule-breaking, and breach of the criminal law, in Downing Street” and that the “scale, context and nature of those breaches” were inconsistent with the rule of law.
It comes after Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak paid fines relating to a birthday party held for the PM in the Cabinet room in No 10 in June 2020.
However, neither politician indicated they would consider resigning over the finding by the Metropolitan Police, instead saying they wanted to get on with the job.
It comes as Welsh Secretary Simon Hart indicated Mr Johnson would not resign even if he was fined multiple times in the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Hillman probe. On Tuesday, Mr Johnson did not rule out the prospect he could be fined again for further events.
He is reported to have attended six of the 12 under investigation.
Earlier, Tory MP Nigel Mills – thought to be the first Tory backbencher to call for Mr Johnson to fall on his sword since the fines landed – told the PA news agency “we have every right to expect higher standards of people making these laws”.
Asked if he thought Mr Johnson’s position was untenable, Amber Valley MP Mr Mills said: “Yeah, I think for a Prime
Minister in office to be given a fine and accept it and pay it for breaking the laws that he introduced... is just an impossible position.
“We have every right to expect higher standards of people making these laws... so the idea that he can survive having broken one and accepted he has broken (it), I just think is impossible.”
Both Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak – and Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie, who was also fined – apologised on Tuesday and confirmed they had paid the fines imposed by the Metropolitan Police.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the Prime Minister yesterday morning.
Asked on Sky News how Mr Johnson can “possibly remain in office”, Mr Shapps said: “Everyone is human, people sometimes make mistakes.”
Meanwhile, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have continued to back calls for the Commons to be recalled from its two-week Easter break to allow the Prime Minister to “tender his resignation” in person to MPs.