Alastair Campbell slams Boris Johnson for not 'telling the truth'
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The latest evidence presented against Mr Johnson came yesterday, when ITV released an email from Martin Reynolds, his Principal Private Secretary, inviting more than 100 Downing Street staffers to “socially distanced drinks”. While the rest of the British public obeyed lockdown rules and stayed indoors, away from their loved ones, Mr Reynolds suggested they make the most of the “lovely weather” in London for an evening gathering. According to the network, roughly 40 staff attended – accompanied by Mr Johnson and his wife, Carrie.
Will Boris Johnson resign?
The current controversy is the latest of several to involve alleged parties at Downing Street since late 2021.
They have made Mr Johnson, who started his term with a record-breaking 80-seat majority, a deeply unpopular figure in British politics, both amongst the electorate and his own party members.
One Tory MP claimed he had “tarred us all with the same brush” as the revelations came to light.
While he survived the last few revelations, he did so by the skin of his teeth, and recent polls capture public anger.
One conducted by prominent British pollster YouGov, co-founded by current education secretary Nadhim Zahawi in 2001, suggested most Britons want him gone.
A daily question posed by the company found that, of 5,391 British adults, 56 percent (approximately 3,018) would like the PM to resign.
Only 27 percent of Britons polled (approximately 1,455) said they would keep him in the role.
The remaining 17 percent (around 916) said they didn’t know whether Mr Johnson should tender his resignation.
Other pollsters have found his approval rating, despite recovering briefly over Christmas, is on the move again.
According to Redfield and Wilton Strategies, he reached an all-time low following the first few scandals in late December, bottoming out at -29 percent.
Over Christmas, he managed to scape back support to -18 percent, but his approval is now creeping downwards again.
The firm’s latest poll of 2,000 Britons on January 10 found he has lost a point since yesterday’s news broke, now on -19 percent.
Mr Johnson is yet to comment on the newest scandal, despite an urgent question in the House of Commons from Labour on the afternoon of January 11.
The party, which filled out its seats in the lower house, was faced by junior minister Michael Ellis, the Paymaster General.
He was accompanied by a threadbare Tory showing, with the frontbenches left unoccupied, as he claimed the Prime Minister “takes this matter very seriously”.
Mr Ellis added he “has confidence” in Mr Johnson’s honour and integrity.
Rumours are swelling within Westminster that the Prime Minister will address the public this afternoon.
Christopher Hope, associate political editor at the Daily Telegraph, told his Twitter followers that he seems set to deliver a statement before Prime Minister’s Questions.
He said “strong rumours” from two Government sources suggested he would appear around “lunchtime”.
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