Boris Johnson: Scotland Yard is investigating Corona parties in Downing Street

Created: 2022-01-25Updated: 2022-01-25 12:24 PM

By: Daniel Dillmann, Stefan Krieger

For British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the situation is becoming increasingly precarious.

Now the London police are also investigating several lockdown parties.

• Parties at the British Prime Minister's seat of government during the Corona crisis* bring Boris Johnson* more and more into trouble.

• Great Britain* is preparing for a vote of no confidence – or even the resignation of the prime minister.

• In the middle of his worst government crisis, Boris Johnson is now announcing the end of all corona measures in Great Britain.

Update from January 25th, 2022, 12.00 p.m .:

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been under heavy pressure for weeks because of new reports about parties at the seat of government Downing Street, despite the strict corona lockdown rules in force at the time (see also the first report).

So far, however, Johnson has consistently rejected all calls for his resignation.

But now things could get tight for him.

Because as of today, the London police are investigating the lockdown parties in Johnson's office and in other government buildings.

"I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police are investigating a number of events related to potential breaches of corona regulations," Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick told a London City Council committee.

The situation for him is becoming increasingly precarious: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

© Jack Hill/The Times/PA/dpa

For Johnson, the situation is becoming increasingly precarious.

The results of an internal investigation by top official Sue Gray into the allegedly illegal parties are expected later this week.

Johnson's political fate could depend on the outcome of this investigation.

Several members of his own faction want to overthrow him.

The new revelations should be grist to their mills.

Insiders now believe a vote of no confidence is inevitable.

Boris Johnson responds to calls for his resignation - and lifts corona measures

Update from January 20th, 2022, 10.30 a.m .:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will overturn the mask requirement in England from Thursday next week (January 27th, 2022). Home office will then no longer be necessary, Johnson announced in Parliament. Experts assumed that the peak of the omicron wave in the country had passed. The population have behaved well, and the booster campaign is also running. He assumes that the rules for self-isolation in the event of infections will remain in force until March as planned, but then expire.

Meanwhile, Johnson is fighting to remain in office amid the scandal surrounding parties at the seat of government.

During a question and answer session in the London House of Commons on Wednesday (01/19/2022), Johnson showed himself combative.

But the pressure on him is growing: British media estimates that the number of Tory MPs needed for an internal party vote of no confidence in the head of government could soon be reached.

Boris Johnson is not giving up.

© Jessica Taylor/rtr

Johnson defended his policy record in the coronavirus pandemic, criticized the opposition and made popular announcements, including lifting most of the unpopular coronavirus restrictions.

However, several calls for resignation came from the ranks of the MPs and also from their own ranks - including from the influential Tory MP and former Brexit Minister David Davis.

"No matter what good you've done, you've been sitting here too long," he said.

"For God's sake go!" Davis used a famous historical quote coined in 1653 by Civil War general Oliver Cromwell.

Air for Boris Johnson is getting thinner: seven Tory politicians call for resignation

+++ 8:25 p.m .:

In the scandal surrounding parties at the seat of government, Boris Johnson is fighting by all means to remain in office. But the pressure on him is growing: British media estimates that the number of Tory MPs needed for an internal party vote of no confidence in the head of government could soon be reached.

Several calls for resignation came from the ranks of the MPs and also from their own ranks - including from the influential Tory MP and former Brexit Minister David Davis.

"No matter what good you've done, you've been sitting here too long," he said.

"For God's sake go!" Davis used a famous historical quote coined in 1653 by Civil War general Oliver Cromwell.

Seven Tory politicians have already publicly called for Johnson's resignation.

In addition, according to reports, there was now a group of around 20 mostly young Tory MPs who had entered parliament for the first time after Johnson's clear election victory in 2019.

Boris Johnson under fire from his own ranks: "His time is up"

+++ 4 p.m .:

Does Boris Johnson fall or does he not fall? In any case, an imminent revolt in his own party is giving the British prime minister a hard time, but in an emotional parliamentary debate, the head of government demonstratively appeared unfazed by new attacks and sharply attacked the opposition for his part. If Labor leader Keir Starmer had his way, the country would still be in the corona lockdown, Johnson claimed. But thanks to his politics, the country got through the pandemic well.

However, the British media no longer rule out that the threshold required for a vote of no confidence in Johnson will soon be reached.

"His time is up," Telegraph reporter Christopher Hope quoted an MP as saying.

However, Johnson rejected immediate consequences from the "Partygate" scandal, but still did not explicitly rule out resigning.

He is awaiting the report of an internal investigation, which will appear next week.

Again he dodged specific questions about the course of lockdown parties at the seat of government.

Boris Johnson in the end?

“The mood has changed dramatically”

+++ 3:05 p.m .:

The situation for Boris Johnson remains tense. The British daily Guardian quotes an unnamed MP from the Conservative Tory party, according to whom the "mood has turned dramatically". "He's in real trouble," he reportedly said of Johnson. According to the Daily Telegraph, the circle of breakaway Tory MPs now known as the "pork pie coup" has garnered enough support to launch a motion of no confidence in Boris Johnson.

+++ 14:27:

Boris Johnson loses more supporters.

Christian Wakeford changes sides.

The 37-year-old MP will no longer belong to the Toryse, but will join the Labor Party.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, Wakeford writes that his decision was - if not - due to Johnson's leadership style.

+++ 1:53 p.m .:

The first

questions with the Prime Minister in Parliament is over.

But the debate continues.

The opposition accuses Boris Johnson's government of not having a plan for corona policy.

“Labor has a plan.

Where is hers?” asks a Labor MP.

Live: Tories are also calling for Boris Johnson's resignation

+++ 1:46 p.m .:

The Tories also criticize Boris Johnson.

David Davis is on record that he has always defended the Prime Minister and, for example, praised Brexit*.

“But I expect my leaders to take responsibility for their actions.

Yesterday [Johnson] did exactly the opposite.” He ends by appealing to his party colleague: “In the name of God, go!”

+++ 1:36 p.m .:

More and more MPs are making allegations against Boris Johnson.

A Labor MP says he is trying to convince the British public that "their Prime Minister is stupid and not dishonest".

That alone is a reason for his resignation.

Live: Boris Johnson under pressure - vote of no confidence is being prepared

+++ 1:26 p.m

.: There is a heated debate going on in the British Parliament.

Their outcome could decide the fate of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The opposition attacks Johnson for his behavior during the corona lockdown.

MP Kei Starmer said he celebrated while the Queen endured her husband Prince Philip's funeral alone.

Johnson, in turn, feels safe.

He was convinced that there would be no vote of no confidence.

He also has no plans to resign.

"But we have to wait and see the result," said the UK Prime Minister.

Live: Boris Johnson faces a no-confidence vote with Tory support

Update January 19, 2022, 11:25 a.m .:

There would be a no-confidence vote in the Tory faction against Boris Johnson if 15 percent of the 360 ​​Conservative MPs voted against the prime minister – which corresponds to 54 votes. In a secret ballot in the parliamentary group, the prime minister would then have to get at least 50 percent of the members on his side in order to survive the vote. His reputation among the population and the party is already badly damaged.

"I think we did it," well-connected BBC reporter Laura Kuenssberg quoted an anti-Johnson Tory as saying.

So far, seven conservative MPs have publicly expressed their distrust in the prime minister.

Behind the scenes, however, there was already talk of at least 30 rebels.

The Times counts that 58 MPs have publicly criticized Johnson.

Boris Johnson: British Prime Minister under pressure

First report from January 19, 2022:

London – According to media reports, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is under pressure, is threatened with an internal party revolt. As early as Wednesday (19 January 2022), enough Conservative MPs could voice their distrust and initiate a corresponding vote, the Daily Telegraph newspaper and the broadcaster ITV News reported. Up to 20 Tories wanted to hand in their letters on Wednesday, the Telegraph said. BBC political expert Laura Kuenssberg writes that the number of 54 such letters required for a vote of confidence could be exceeded. Johnson faces MPs in the House of Commons at noon.

The prime minister is also under considerable pressure in his own ranks because of various parties in his office in the middle of the corona lockdown.

There have already been calls for his resignation, including from conservatives.

Johnson felt compelled to apologize for these parties - including to Queen Elizabeth.

There were reports of parties in April 2021, which were not only celebrated despite restrictions, but also on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, the Queen's husband.

He deeply regrets that there were parties, Johnson said on Tuesday.

Boris Johnson accused of lying

Also on Tuesday, Johnson faced allegations from his former adviser Dominic Cummings that he lied about a garden party at Downing Street on May 20, 2020.

Nobody informed him that the Corona requirements had been violated.

Johnson said he assumed it was a work meeting.

How long can Boris Johnson stay in office?

© Paul Childs/rtr

The latest revelations have caused the approval ratings for Johnson's Conservatives to plummet, and calls for his resignation are getting louder.

To get a vote of confidence in the prime minister, 15 percent of Conservative MPs must vote no confidence in him.

That means 54 of the 360 ​​Conservatives in Parliament would have to send a letter to that effect to the powerful party committee in 1922.

Its chairman then sets the date for a vote in the House of Commons.

This could take place on the day when the necessary number is reached.

Boris Johnson: Even a resignation seems possible

Johnson did not explicitly rule out resigning on Tuesday either.

He wanted to wait for the result of the internal investigation, he said.

The report could be published as early as Friday, it said in London.

Constantly new revelations delay the creation, however.

On Wednesday, the Times reported Johnson ignored warnings from employees in March 2020 and only self-isolated after days of coughing profusely.

"He said he was strong as a bull and he hit his chest," the newspaper quoted a source as saying.

At the time, Johnson was seriously ill with Covid-19, and doctors fought for his life in the intensive care unit for days.

(skr/rtr/dpa)