Should Boris Johnson resign? Millions are outraged by lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street. But others argue that British politicians have lost all sense of proportion.
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A PM drowning in cake, crisps and wine
Should Boris Johnson resign? Millions are outraged by lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street. But others argue that British politicians have lost all sense of proportion.
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Eighteen parties, music, wine and a birthday cake. It all took place during a national lockdown.
Today, British prime minister Boris Johnson will receive a report by top civil servant Sue Gray into parties at Downing Street during the coronavirus lockdowns.
Now, some are calling for Johnson to resign. They are outraged that he broke his own coronavirus rules.
Critics say the lockdown parties show that Johnson did not believe the rules applied to him. Many people suffered during lockdowns. Some people could not visit their relatives in hospital.
In March 2020, the Prime Minister praised a seven-year-old girl who missed her birthday party in the first lockdown. "You are setting a great example," he told Josephine Booth. But three months later, he had his own birthday party.
On Tuesday, 62% of Britons said Boris Johnson should resign. Many politicians have called on him to step down.
But others disagree. "Britain must now resemble a nation that has taken leave of its senses," declared the Daily Mail yesterday. "It was never illegal to offer a work colleague a piece of cake."
The outrage over the parties at Downing Street is an "absurd over-reaction," adds one journalist. Boris Johnson attended the birthday party for just ten minutes.
The UK has bigger problems than lockdown parties and birthday cakes. Russia could invade Ukraine and start a new war. The economy is still recovering from coronavirus. Many people are struggling to pay their bills. These are the issues the British people, and the British prime minister, should be focusing on.
Yesterday, Boris Johnson insisted he would not resign. If he does leave power, it will shape the future of British politics for many years.
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Should Boris Johnson resign?
Yes: At a time when millions of Britons made huge sacrifices to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Boris Johnson failed to follow his own rules. Nobody should be above the law. Johnson must resign.
No: Boris Johnson's critics have lost all sense of proportion. This is a ridiculous over-reaction. The real crisis is the 100,000 soldiers standing on the Ukrainian border, not some cake and wine.
Or... The decision may be taken out of Johnson's hands. Many Conservative MPs are waiting to read Gray's report in full. They could still trigger a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.