Partygate. We are all fed up with it. Yet the events and the aftermath shredded have any bit of credibility that Boris Johnson had left. Faced with continual calls for his resignation, Boris Johnson has today watered down the ministerial code to ensure that ministers can avoid resigning if they break the ministerial code.
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne has not been a challenging critic of the Conservative government or Boris Johnson. But in an email sent to several constituents, he makes it clear that he believes that Boris Johnson is no longer fit to prime minister.
“I am sorry to say any benefit of the doubt the PM enjoyed has now been eroded. While I have not called for his resignation, the PM has yet to prove to me that he is the right person to ensure the return of integrity and due decorum, that all our constituents expect from politicians.”
Philip Dunne, sitting with a huge majority, has not called for Boris Johnson’s resignation. He should do so and position himself as a politician who has integrity within a government administration that has lost any sense of moral being.
In an email to several constituents, Dunne said:
“I know that there is considerable anger around the fact rules were broken at Downing Street, by some of the very people responsible for making these rules. The details described in Sue Gray’s report, and in particular the comments that junior staff treated security and cleaning staff with contempt for questioning their conduct, were shocking.
“I have said publicly that we should give both the Metropolitan Police and Sue Gray the opportunity to look into these events… The findings confirm the conclusions of her interim report – namely, that there was a culture among officials and senior leadership in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, which did not fully respect either the great privilege of public service, or the fact that others across the country were making immense sacrifices to keep communities safe from coronavirus.
“I was in the House of Commons yesterday where the Prime Minister repeatedly apologised for the failings that happened on his watch. While the report does support the PM’s previous claims that he was not aware of the way in which some of the gatherings descended into late night drinking after he had left, he is right to take ultimate responsibility for what happened in No10.
“I do welcome that the PM has already instigated significant personnel changes, with a remit to change the culture in Downing Street. He is also right to apologise directly to security and cleaning staff, who as the Gray report now reveals, were treated with disdain by junior staff attending some of these events. It is clear the that the very large organisation of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, was not run with proper oversight, and led to a culture that lacked accountability and respect. As the report makes clear, the public have a right to expect the highest standards of behaviour in such places, and what happened fell well short of this.
With all of the pressing issues facing the country, I have been very disappointed by how this government has had to spend so much time addressing these matters…
“I am sorry to say any benefit of the doubt the PM enjoyed has now been eroded. While I have not called for his resignation, the PM has yet to prove to me that he is the right person to ensure the return of integrity and due decorum, that all our constituents expect from politicians.”
Philip Dunne should call Boris Johnson’s resignation and position himself as a politician that retains integrity in a Conservative Party in which many MPs lost any sense of reality and the nation’s concerns.
Dunne sitting on the fence as ever.
Sue Gray’s reports of Downing Street workplace gatherings include late night drinking to excess, vomitus, the verbal abuse of cleaning and security staff and people sitting on others’ laps. All this, in the context of the PM’s assurance to Parliament that no Covid rules were broken during any workplace gathering. Our Public Service and its basic standards are being undermined by a PM who shows an arrogant disregard for compliance. Poor leadership and judgement have been highlighted by Ms Gray who has provided the evidence that confirms our major concerns. Humble and sincere apologies are not just words: sincerity and humility have to be demonstrated in actions to be credible.