BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recently been thrust into the forefront of public opinion over the party scandal during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the passage of time, the pressure of public opinion has not decreased, and the new scandals have increased frequently, resulting in the decline in public support of the ruling Conservative Party, and the party's demand for Johnson to step down has gradually risen.
British media described Johnson as experiencing the worst crisis since he took office in 2019.
On January 12, British Prime Minister Johnson, when questioned in the lower house of parliament, admitted that he had participated in a cocktail party in violation of the new crown epidemic prevention regulations in 2020 and apologized for it. The British opposition party and some members of the public believe that Johnson should resign. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Li Ying)
The justification was punctured
The British media exposed many illegal cocktail parties during the epidemic prevention period of the Prime Minister's Office, and Johnson also participated in them.
Johnson admitted for the first time during questioning in the lower house of parliament on the 12th of this month to attend a cocktail party in the garden of the Prime Minister's Office during the "lockdown" in May 2020. He apologized for that, but argued that he thought it was an official event. He said that "no one told me" that the cocktail party violated the epidemic prevention regulations.
However, Johnson's former chief adviser Dominic Cummings gave a very different account. The British "Mirror" quoted Cummings on the 18th to report that a number of senior government officials had reminded that holding a cocktail party in the garden of the Prime Minister's Palace violated epidemic prevention regulations, and Johnson ignored these advices.
Cummings said he and "other witnesses" were willing to give sworn testimony.
The Mirror described Cummings' claim as "explosive" and tantamount to identifying Johnson as a blatant lie when questioned in the lower house of parliament. Before Cummings, multiple British media outlets had quoted sources as saying that Johnson knew it was "a party" before the reception began.
Cummings left the Johnson administration in November 2020 and has repeatedly criticized the government for its ineffective response to the pandemic. Ironically, Cummings violated the Stay-at-Home Order during his tenure, but was protected by Johnson.
People pass by in front of a makeshift hospital in Preston, England, on Jan. 13. Due to the intensification of the COVID-19 epidemic and the sharp increase in hospitalizations, the BRITISH government has successively built and opened eight "Nightingale" temporary hospitals in England to receive a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by Jon Hupper)
Or abandoned by the same party
When Johnson was involved in the party scandal, according to the British "Daily Telegraph" reported on the 18th, 20 Conservative MPs met privately and planned to submit a letter of distrust of Johnson. The Prime Minister's Office has not responded to this report at this time.
To trigger a challenge to the Conservative leader, at least 54 of the 360 Conservative MPs must write to the chairman of the party's "1922 Committee" to clearly express their distrust of the Conservative leader.
Such letters will not be made public, and only the chairman of the committee knows about the letters written by parliamentarians. MP Christian Wakeford has publicly stated that he has submitted a letter of no confidence. He said that many other members of parliament had written letters that had not yet been submitted.
The "1922 Committee", which represents Conservative MPs without government positions, plays an important role in deciding on the candidate for prime minister.
If Johnson is forced to step down, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is considered one of the most likely replacements. However, according to the Mirror, given the upcoming local elections in May, some MPs are inclined to take action after the elections are over.
The Conservative Party is currently in a bad mood. Johnson led the Conservatives to parliamentary elections in December 2019, the largest win-win advantage since 1987. Today, party scandals continue to ferment, and the opposition Labor Party has significantly led the Conservative Party in terms of public opinion support, with the highest level since 2013.
This is a live footage of Johnson being questioned in the House of Commons of the British Parliament, filmed in London, England, on January 12. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Li Ying)
Seek self-help in times of trouble
In the face of scandal fermentation and low public opinion, Johnson is not willing to be passive. The British media likened the measures it had taken to "Operation Red Meat", which meant pleasing voters and trying to secure the Conservative Party's vote base, including by making a fuss about immigration policy and taking the BBC at the knife.
The British government announced on the 17th that it prohibits the BBC from increasing the TV license fee borne by the public in the next two years (159 pounds per year, about 1377 yuan) to alleviate the burden of people's livelihood caused by the economic downturn.
Labour's cultural affairs spokeswoman Lucy Powell said Johnson's government wanted to please BBC opponents and ease downward pressure on the party's popular support triggered by the scandal. The Johnson administration's proposed tax increase plan and the surge in energy prices are a greater burden than tv licence fees.
According to British media reports, Johnson may announce the relaxation of epidemic prevention measures in England to win the support of factions within the Conservative Party that oppose the tightening of epidemic prevention measures and respond to the crisis of confidence within the party. In addition, Johnson may also "throw the pot" at the party scandal in order to get himself out of trouble.
On the 18th of this month, Johnson apologized to Queen Elizabeth II for two departure parties at the Prime Minister's Office on 16 April 2021. Two parties took place the day before Prince Philip's funeral, when Britain was in a period of mourning. According to the Prime Minister's Office, Johnson was not in the Prime Minister's Office that day and did not know about the departure party.
Johnson confirmed that he was questioned by "party incident investigator" Hugh Gray, explaining what he knew. Gray's investigative report is expected to be released this month. (Chen Lixi)