LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Conservative Party’s chairman believes that removing Boris Johnson from Downing Street would cause “instability and uncertainty” in the country.
After he was fined by the police for attending a party during the first lockdown in No 10, the PM has been under growing pressure from MPs.
Some top Tories have now joined calls for Mr Johnson’s resignation from the opposition.
Changing leaders now, however, was not in the national interest, according to Oliver Dowden.
The party chairman told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme that the UK faces “unparalleled challenges” in terms of national security and energy supply, and that the PM should focus on them.
However, Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader claimed that the PM’s authority had been “shot through,” and that the so-called partygate affair was preventing Parliament from discussing matters such as the cost of living crisis.
After he was fined for breaking Covid restrictions, Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said Mr Johnson now had “no moral authority” to lead.
Mr Johnson was fined by police last week, along with his wife and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, for attending a birthday celebration hosted in his honour in the Cabinet Room in June 2020.
Since the Metropolitan Police launched its investigation into law-breaking parties in Downing Street and across Whitehall, it has issued more than 50 fixed penalty notices.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister apologised to Parliament several times, stating that while he did not believe he was breaking any rules at the time, he accepted the decision given by the force and wanted to concentrate on his work.
However, Labour called his apology “a joke,” and a number of top Conservatives said it was time for Mr Johnson to leave, citing resignation requests from the SNP and Liberal Democrats.
Former Brexit Minister Steve Baker informed the Commons that “the gig is up,” and warned in the Daily Telegraph that “partygate” was a “disaster,” adding that he worried they would reap the storm on voting day.
MPs also decided on Thursday to have a parliamentary committee investigate if the PM deceived the House with his claims about No 10 parties.
Under the ministerial code, intentionally misleading MPs is a resignation offence.
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said it was a matter of principle to hold him accountable, telling the BBC if you enabled a PM to mislead Parliament with no ramifications, they would end up in a very dangerous situation.
