A number of British media previously reported that in May 2020, about 40 British government officials attended a gathering at the Prime Minister's Office, violating the epidemic prevention regulations at the time, including the current Prime Minister Johnson.
Under the pressure of public opinion, Johnson, who has been "holding his teeth", publicly admitted for the first time on the 12th that he participated in this party and apologized for his behavior. As for Johnson's "apology", British politics and the British people did not buy it.
On the 12th local time, Johnson was questioned in the lower house of the British Parliament, and he publicly admitted for the first time that he had attended the Garden Gathering of the Prime Minister's Office in May 2020 and apologized to the people present and the British people.
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON: Mr Speaker, I apologize for that, I know that millions of people across the country have made great sacrifices over the past 1 and a half years, and I know they are angry at me and the government I lead, and they think that the people who make the rules in Downing Street are not following the rules properly.
While apologizing, Johnson defended that he thought it was a "public service event" and that he attended the party to thank the staff around him for their efforts during the epidemic prevention and control period, and he returned to the office 25 minutes later to continue working.
Johnson's long-overdue apology was immediately attacked by opposition lawmakers.
Kiel Stamer, leader of the British opposition Labour Party: The former health secretary resigned for violating the epidemic prevention regulations, Prime Minister Johnson said he should do it, the former prime minister's press secretary joked about the violation of the epidemic prevention regulations, she also resigned, and the prime minister agreed. Why does the Prime Minister still think that these rules do not apply to himself?
British people: We have been deceived
On the one hand, the public is required to strictly abide by the epidemic prevention regulations, and on the other hand, many people are held to gather. The British people, who felt deceived, complained about the "double standard" behavior of the Johnson government.
Londoner: Double standards are completely unacceptable, they (politicians) have a standard, we have a standard, which makes the British people very angry.
Londoners: Everybody complies with the [epidemic prevention] rule, but the people who make it violate it, which is obviously unfair.
The Guardian: This is the beginning of an era of political chaos in Britain
During the epidemic prevention period, the Johnson administration has repeatedly exposed epidemic prevention scandals and has been criticized by public opinion. The Guardian reported that in December last year, Downing Street was accused of holding a holiday party at the end of 2020, but Prime Minister Johnson has always insisted that "there is no such gathering" to cover up the fact that it violates epidemic prevention regulations.
Some netizens said: "Not just the prime minister, but the people around him, his entire cabinet (problem)." The Guardian described it as follows: "This is the beginning of an era of political chaos[ in the UK]. ”
Source: CCTV News Client