Despite the harsh conclusions for Boris Johnson from the report by senior civil servant Sue Gray on the parties organized in Downing Street during the confinements, the head of government has ruled out resigning.
If he said he took “full responsibility for everything that happened”, he considers it his duty to “continue” his work.
In her report, Sue Gray says Downing Street cleanup crews had to mop up spilled red wine, at least one of the revelers vomited and there was an altercation between two people at a party in June 2020 marked by “excessive consumption of alcohol by certain individuals”.
She cited “multiple examples of disrespect and mistreatment” from revelers towards cleaners and security guards.
Boris Johnson “apologized to a number of staff yesterday. He discussed it with others this morning. He was appalled by this behaviour,” his spokesman said on Thursday.
Rules in Downing Street have been changed to prohibit the consumption of alcohol in the office, except when entertaining with outside guests, he said.
The “partygate” has seriously damaged the credibility of Boris Johnson: three out of five Britons believe that he should resign, according to a YouGov poll published after the publication of the report.
The scandal also raised questions about the work of London police, who issued 126 fines including just one to Boris Johnson (for a surprise birthday party) as part of their investigation, which may have seemed lenient.
“We did not hesitate to issue a fine where we thought it was deserved,” defended Commissioner Stephen House at the London Assembly on Thursday, pointing out that Boris Johnson had not received treatment from favor.
“I’m not particularly concerned about what the Prime Minister thinks. I do my job without fear or favour, as the Metropolitan Police did,” Mr House said.
The “partygate” has prompted 19 Conservative MPs to publicly call for the resignation of Boris Johnson, but most believe that this is not the time to change leaders, in the midst of the war in Ukraine.
If 54 majority MPs turn against him, Boris Johnson risks finding himself targeted by a motion of no confidence, nearly three years after his triumphant arrival in Downing Street in the midst of the Brexit psychodrama.
Trying to reunite his troops, Boris Johnson met with Conservative MPs on Wednesday evening. He told them, according to media reports, that one of his illustrious predecessors, Winston Churchill, who drank heavily, would not have been able to win the Second World War if Downing Street had imposed a total alcohol ban on the time.
