In an especially rowdy session of Prime Minister’s questions, Boris Johnson was once again pushed to resign.
Respect was paid throughout the session to the victims of Bloody Sunday. This Sunday will mark the 50th anniversary of the massacre by British soldiers. Respect was also paid to the victims of the Holocaust preceding Holocaust memorial day on Thursday.
The first half of the session was once again dominated by accusations against the Prime Minister of knowingly lying about the extent to which alleged parties breached covid rules, followed by demands that he resign. Yet more allegations have recently been levelled against the Prime Minister, this time that he celebrated his birthday with a party at a time when covid restrictions prohibited such gatherings.
Boris Johnson has been handed a short-term lifeline with the delayed release of Sue Gray’s enquiry, as a decision on whether he resigns will not happen before it is released.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition, said:
“We now have the shameful spectacle of the prime minister of the United Kingdom being subjected to a police investigation. Unable to leave the country. Incapable of doing the right thing. And every day his cabinet fail to speak out they become more and more complicit.”
Boris Johnson accused Starmer of wanting to get the prime minister out of office because he “knows this is a government that can deliver”. He also said that Labour was just playing politics, and that they should be focusing on more important issues, such as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
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Leader of the SNP in the Commons, Ian Blackford, once again gave a fiery demand for Johnson to resign:
“Every moment that the prime minister lingers. Every knick in this death-by-a-thousand-cuts, is sucking attention from the real issues facing the country. Tory cuts, Brexit, and the soaring cost of living have pushed millions of families into poverty. The impending national insurance tax-hike hangs like a guillotine, while they eat cake. … How much longer will tory MPs let this go on for? … It is time to get this over with. Show the prime minister the door!”
Sue Gray’s report was expected to be released before today’s PMQs. It is likely to be released either later today or sometime on Thursday, at which point an emergency meeting of the commons will probably be called to discuss its contents.
