Johnson stated to the House of Commons that Johnson did not think of the fact that the birthday party, complete with cake, was a party.
Johnson was penalized HTML66 by 50 Pounds last week for attending his surprise birthday party at 10 Downing St. in June 2020. This makes him the first British prime Minister to be found to have violated the law while in office.
The investigation continues into the alleged attendance of Johnson by several other parties at government buildings.
Johnson spoke as the House of Commons returned to work after an 11-day Easter holiday. He apologized for what was, he claimed, a minor error. However, Johnson ignored calls from the opposition to resign over his failures to enforce the restrictions he had imposed during the pandemic.
Johnson acknowledged the anger and hurt feelings of people, but said that it was not something that occurred to him or her that night. Johnson also stated that Johnson did not think that an incident in the Cabinet Room just before a crucial meeting on COVID strategy could be a violation of the rules.
The Labour Party, an opposition party, is trying to persuade lawmakers to condemn Johnson for the “partygate” scandal. Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of House of Commons, stated that he would allow Labour to have a Commons debate on Johnson’s alleged misleading of Parliament. It is common for ministers to resign if they are found guilty.
Thursday is the scheduled date for the vote. Johnson will sound contrite before the vote. However, Johnson believes it is wrong to replace leaders in Britain while Britain faces crisis such as the war with Ukraine, and a squeeze on living costs due to rising energy prices.
Johnson and his Conservative government are facing growing outrage after allegations surfaced last year that Johnson and his staff hosted office parties in 2020, 2021, when millions of people in the country were prohibited from visiting their families or attending funerals for loved ones.
Following a police investigation, and a civil service inquiry into the gatherings, Johnson was fined. Johnson attempted to disarm questions by stating that there were no parties, then by insisting that no rules had been broken.
Brandon Lewis, Cabinet Minister, insisted Johnson was not a liar. He had always said “whatever he believes to the truth.”
Lewis stated, “What he told Parliament he believed was true at that time.”
Johnson’s grip over power appeared to be at a crossroads earlier this year due to the scandal and the departures of many top aides. Allies worried that “partygate” could be a turning point for a leader who had already been through a number of storms regarding his finances and his moral judgment. Some Conservative lawmakers openly called for a vote of no confidence in their leader.
Johnson has not given up, partly due to the distraction of public and political attention from Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
Johnson’s image internationally, which was damaged by Britain’s messy exit form the European Union, under his leadership, has been resurrected by his strong military, political, and moral support for Ukraine. Johnson visited Kyiv earlier in the month to meet President Volodymyr Zeleskyy.
Johnson could face additional fines. London’s Metropolitan Police is currently investigating several events. These include alleged “bring you own booze” office parties, and “wine-time Fridays” hosted by Johnson’s staff. At least 50 tickets have already been distributed, including to Johnson’s wife Carrie, Treasury chief Rishi, and Rishi Sunak.
There could be more calls from Conservatives for a no confidence vote if Johnson is again sanctioned. Geoffrey Clifton Brown, a Conservative lawmaker, said that Johnson’s colleagues are “holding back their judgement and waiting to see what happens.”
Tobias Ellwood from the Commons Defense Committee is a Conservative and said that the government shouldn’t use “the fig leaf of our engagement with Ukraine to somehow claim this isn’t the time to address these difficult challenges.”
He stated that the party should hold an election of no confidence to determine if “the prime minister has support” and whether “we march forward, or it’s time for change.”
