Two More Tory MPs Call For Boris Johnson To Quit Over Partygate

John Baron and David Simmonds join calls for the PM to resign following the Sue Gray report.
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Two more Conservative MPs have called for Boris Johnson to resign over the partgate scandal.

John Baron, the MP for Basildon and Billericay, and David Simmonds, the MP for Ruislip, have joined calls for the prime minister to step down.

In a statement on Thursday morning, Baron blasted the “shameful pattern of misbehaviour” in Downing Street during lockdown.

He accused Johnson of misleading parliament by claiming he was not aware of rule breaking on his watch, branding his denials “not credible”.

Simmonds said while the government and its policies “enjoy the confidence of the public”, the prime minister “does not”.

“It is time for him to step down so that new leadership can take forward the important work of the government in ensuring that our people and country prosper,” he said.

Three Tory MPs have now called for Johnson to go in the wake of the Sue Gray report into partygate, which was published on Wednesday morning.

Julian Sturdy, the MP for York Outer, yesterday also said the PM should resign.

Gray detailed a culture of “excessive drinking” in No.10, with wine being spilled up the walls, fights and people being sick.

The Downing Street cleaners and security guards, Gray found, were also treated with a “lack of respect” by staff.

Johnson has said he “overwhelmingly” believes he should remain in office and has rejected calls for him to quit.

It takes 54 Tory MPs to force a no confidence vote in Johnson in order to remove him as leader.

So around 20 have publicly demanded he quit, however the number who have secretly formally submitted a letter of no confidence could be higher.

Baron said: “The Sue Gray report and the Metropolitan Police investigations paint a shameful pattern of misbehaviour during the pandemic as the rest of us kept to the Covid regulations.

“Those responsible for setting the rules have a special duty to adhere to them.

“However, for me the most serious charge against the prime minister is that of knowingly misleading parliament.

“Given the scale of rule-breaking in No 10, I can not accept that the prime minister was unaware. Therefore, his repeated assurances in parliament that there was no rule-breaking is simply not credible.

He added: “Parliament is the beating heart of our nation. To knowingly mislead it can not be tolerated, no matter the issue.

“Whether or not the prime minister is an asset to the party or the country is of less importance.

“Having always said I would consider all the available evidence before deciding, I’m afraid the prime minister no longer enjoys my support – I can no longer give him the benefit of the doubt.”

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