Nick Gibb is the latest Conservative MP to submit a letter of no confidence in the prime minister.
Image source, Getty Images
Another Conservative MP has called for Boris Johnson to resign as the turmoil at 10 Downing Street continues.
Former minister Nick Gibb is the latest Tory to submit a letter of no confidence in the prime minister.
He said his constituents were furious that No 10 had been “flagrantly disregarding” the Covid rules they set.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports a photograph of Mr Johnson holding a beer at a birthday gathering has been handed to police investigating Covid breaches.
The paper said the picture is one of 300 submitted to the Metropolitan Police investigation into 12 alleged gatherings and is thought to have been taken by the PM’s official photographer, who is funded by the taxpayer.
It says it shows the prime minister holding a can of beer at an event in No 10’s Cabinet Room in June 2020, alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who was holding a soft drink.
At the time, gatherings of more than two people inside were banned by law.
It comes at the end of a difficult week for the PM which has seen five No 10 aides resign and the publication of the initial findings of the Sue Gray report into events at Downing Street while Covid restrictions were in place.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Gibb, who has served under three prime ministers and who lost his position as schools minister in Boris Johnson’s reshuffle last September, said his constituents were “furious about the double standards” and that “to restore trust, we need to change the prime minister”.
He said Covid restrictions imposed by Boris Johnson were “flagrantly disregarded” in Downing Street, and the PM was inaccurate when, in December, he told the House of Commons there was no party.
“Some argue that eating a few canapes with a glass of prosecco is hardly a reason to resign. But telling the truth matters, and nowhere more so than in the House of Commons where, like a court of law, truth must be told regardless of the personal consequences,” he wrote.
Mr Gibb said fellow backbench Tory Aaron Bell had “struck a chord” when he criticised Mr Johnson over lockdown parties earlier this week.
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On Friday, Mr Bell said the “breach of trust” over the rule breaking and how it had been handled made the PM’s position untenable, as he confirmed he had also submitted a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady – the chair of the 1922 Committee.
A leadership contest could be triggered if 54 letters are submitted.
Other Conservative MPs are expected to consider whether to put in their letters over the weekend.
Speaking on Newsnight, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen suggested it was now the job of the cabinet to “show leadership” and “confront” the issue of the prime minister’s leadership.
But his fellow Tory MP Richard Bacon suggested that it was not for politicians to change governments – that was for the electorate to take care of.
Mr Johnson has written to all Tory MPs to say he is committed to improving the way 10 Downing Street works.
Some of his supporters, including one former cabinet minister, have criticised the chancellor Rishi Sunak, who this week distanced himself from the prime minister’s controversial comments about Sir Keir Starmer, for being disloyal at a difficult time.
No 10 policy chief Munira Mirza quit on Thursday, describing Mr Johnson’s comments on Sir Keir as “scurrilous”.
The prime minister falsely claimed that the Labour leader had failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile during his time as director of public prosecutions.
Mr Sunak said he “wouldn’t have said it”, while on Friday Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Sir Keir “did a good job and should be respected for it”.
Sue Gray’s record of the gatherings
The government has faced intense pressure over events held in and around Downing Street. Senior civil servant Sue Gray has said: “A number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did.” Here is what we know about them and the restrictions in place at the time:
15 May 2020
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said “those people were at work talking about work”.
The rules:
Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
20 May 2020
About 100 people were invited by email to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening”. Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended. Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he was among those there.
This event is being investigated by the police.
18 June 2020
A gathering took place in the Cabinet Office to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
This event is being investigated by the police.
19 June 2020
On Boris Johnson’s birthday, up to 30 people gathered in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to present the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday, according to a report by ITV News.
No 10 said staff had “gathered briefly” to “wish the prime minister a happy birthday”, adding that he had been there “for less than 10 minutes”.
The rules:
Restrictions at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.
This event is being investigated by the police.
13 November 2020
Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place. There was a separate gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the same day to mark the departure of a special adviser.
The rules:
Eight days earlier Boris Johnson had announced a new lockdown in England. Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.
These events are being investigated by the police.
27 November 2020
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
10 December 2020
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
The rules:
Eight days earlier, London had been placed in restrictions which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless “reasonably necessary” for work purposes.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
14 December 2020
The Conservative Party has admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party’s London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to speak to two people who attended the party.
This event was not included in Sue Gray’s report.
15 December 2020
Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo – published by the Sunday Mirror – shows Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
16 December 2020
The Department for Transport has apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices, calling it “inappropriate” and an “error of judgment” by staff.
The rules:
London moved into the highest tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was health secretary at the time, said it was important “everyone is cautious” ahead of the festive period.
This event was not included in Sue Gray’s report.
17 December 2020
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce – the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.
Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was “truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result”.
A second gathering was held in the Cabinet Office to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office.
A third gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of a No 10 official
These events are being investigated by the police.
18 December 2020
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street. However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister’s then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”
This event is being investigated by the police.
14 January 2021
A gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of two private secretaries.
This event is being investigated by the police.
16 April 2021
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip’s funeral.
One of the events was a leaving party for the PM’s then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it “should not have happened at the time that it did”.
Boris Johnson was not at either party.
The rules
The rules had been eased in England on 12 April, but working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.
These events are being investigated by the police.
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