Boris Johnson loyalists have hit out at Conservative MPs calling for the prime minister to resign in the wake of an investigation being launched into whether the prime minister lied to parliament. Conor Burns, a Northern Ireland minister, said there was no question of Johnson resigning over Partygate and the prime minister would “rebuild the bonds of trust with the British people”. After an astonishing day in Westminster during which the government capitulated to allow a third inquiry into Johnson’s Partygate denials, Burns insisted the prime minister had been “straightforward” and acted in “good faith”. But Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative chair of the Commons defence select committee, urged colleagues to “take matters into their own hands” and fix once and for all the “absence of discipline, of focus and leadership” in No 10. The tussle looks set to continue while Scotland Yard pursues its investigation into Covid rule-breaking parties in No 10. So far, the police have issued 50 fixed-penalty notices.
Dismissing the criticism levelled at Johnson by some of his own backbenchers, Burns said there were “colleagues across parliament who have never really supported the prime minister”. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If the prime minister stepped off Westminster Bridge and walked on top of the water they would say he couldn’t swim. That is a fact. “The reality is that it is is only two years ago since we won a majority of 80 seats, the biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987.” He added that Johnson had told MPs “I have got business I want to do” with that large majority. Burns added: “What he has also said is that the events in Downing Street and the fine has actually redoubled his determination to rebuild the bonds of trust with the British people.” He told Sky News there was “no question of the prime minister going” and that Johnson was confident when all investigations had concluded “it will be clear that he was straightforward, he said to the house in good faith that he believed the rules were followed”. Ellwood, meanwhile, urged fellow disgruntled Tory MPs to submit a letter of no confidence in Johnson. A total of 54 letters are needed to trigger a leadership challenge. “There’s a recognition that every MP now realises it’s up to us to take ownership of this,” said Ellwood. “Because, I’m afraid, the absence of discipline, of focus and leadership in No 10 during that lockdown period has led to a huge breach of trust with the British people.
“It’s causing such long-term damage to the party’s brand and that’s proving difficult to repair. Can it be repaired in time for the next general election? “So it’s beholden upon all Conservative MPs then to take matters into their own hands, and I think, as I say, I think this is where things will go, particularly as we have more bad news to follow.” Ellwood apologised in December 2020 for giving a speech at a club in central London at an event that was billed by organisers as a “Christmas party” for 27 guests, when no mixing of households indoors was allowed. He said when his attendance at the gathering – organised partly by the Iraqi embassy – emerged that it was “fully Covid-compliant” but understood that “during this challenging time perceptions count”.