LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized and his advisors resigned on Wednesday after a video appeared senior maid who joked about the Christmas party at Downing Street last year when a social event was banned under Covid-19 rules.
The recording leaked seemed to contradict more than a week of rejection by Johnson and his party’s ministers took place, following the newspaper report that dozens of staff had attended a long night meeting on December 18, 2020.
The leader was fought, facing a call to his resignation from several opposition politicians during the session Parliament’s question, swearing “disciplinary action” will be taken if the investigation finds a damaged rule.
“I understand and share anger up and down the country to see there are 10 staff seem to make light from the steps of the kuncian,” he said.
“I apologize unconditionally for a violation that has caused …
and I apologize for the impression that it gives.” Johnson added he had “repeatedly convincingly” that no party was in the number 10 Downing Street office and that there were no damaged rules.
Johnson Advisor Allegra Stratton, a former political journalist who served as his press secretary at the recording was recorded, quickly submit his resignation.
The recording showed him referring to joking for a “fictionary party” while preparing a press conference.
In a crying statement, Stratton admitted his comments “seemed to make light from the rules” and said he would “regret their statement for the rest of my days”.
“I understand anger and frustration that people feel”, he said, while not determining whether the party takes place.
Labor leader Keer Starmer said the prime minister whose account was tense to easily believe.
“They knew there was a party, they knew it violated the rules, they knew they could not admit it, and they thought it was funny,” he told parliamentarians.
“Do prime minister think he has a moral authority to lead and ask the British people to stick to the rules?” He asked.
The most senior civil state servant, Secretary of the Cabinet Simon Case, will lead the investigation just to be announced.
The case “has been asked to establish facts at every event in (December) 18, and that it will begin to work on,” spokesman told Johnson reporters.
The team will be “right” set of time period, “but obviously we want (report) as soon as possible.” London Metropolitan Police said in a statement Wednesday they would not open an investigation as a snippet “did not provide evidence of violations of health protection regulations,” while also quoting “our policy not to investigate retrospective violations”.
The party is thought to be the latest example of the government’s hypocrisy clearly more restrictions after several previous scandals, including Matt Hancock’s health secretary resigned in June for violating the restrictions on Coronavirus while having an affair with a maid.
The recording showed strong stratton burners question during a training press conference on December 22 without present media.
The laughing group and trade jokes are more “fictionary parties” four days before, which are reportedly involved in food, drinks, games and “Secrets of Santa” giving gifts.
“This fiction party is a business meeting and it does not distance social,” Stratton laughed more kidding the exchange about “cheese and wine” and whether the prime minister would “justify” such an event.
At that time, London was under strict limits and indoor social meetings from two or more prohibited, while the office was specifically prohibited.
Video, which leaked to the ITV News radio announcer Tuesday, has caused the headlock newsletter, withdrawn millions of online views and triggered criticism from the entire political spectrum.
Conservative parliamentarians among those demanding answers.
“This is not a matter of laughing,” said Tory MP Roger Gale BBC.
This scandal has a famous incident echo at the beginning of the pandemic involving Johnson then the head of the Dominic Cummings aide, who drove hundreds of kilometers to stay away from his home in London during the Kuncian a.
With the omicron variant spread rapidly in the UK, some members of the conservative parliament say the latest scandal will make reintroducing the “much more difficult” reduction.
“The last 24 hours of events made it almost impossible now,” said the influential backbench MP Charles Walker Radio times.
But Johnson on Wednesday announced the steps of new viruses for Britain including suggestions for work from home, the introduction of Covid must pass for crowded areas, and masks in the most common indoor places.