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The departure of Boris Johnson is “in the national interest”

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a virtual press conference to update the nation on the status of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the Downing Street briefing room in central London on January 4, 2022. (image: AFP)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces mounting criticism and calls to resign over a series of parties in Downing Street, which took place while the rest of the UK was in lockdown, resulting in national outrage.

He now faces a growing leadership challenge, with some saying his departure from No. 10 is inevitable, while others disagree, arguing there is no replacement at this time.

But will the weary British public put up with more Boris Johnson and his disgraceful, disrespectful and totally arrogant behaviour ?

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is an untenable position, facing a growing leadership challenge, having already run the gauntlet of public anger for his handling of a sleaze scandal, the awarding of lucrative COVID contracts and the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, paid for by a Conservative Party donor.

Now, Johnson is under growing pressure from members of parliament, some of whom are Tory lawmakers, after revelations that he attended a garden party at his Downing Street residence in May 2020 in breach of his own government's Coronavirus lockdown rules.

Respect for Boris Johnson has evaporated

The scandal worsened once it was disclosed that a party was also held in Downing Street the very night before the funeral of Prince Philip, the Queen of England's husband of 73 years, during a period of national mourning and while mixing indoors was banned due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The stories about rule breaking ‘gatherings’ had caused deep anger and, to thousands who had lost relatives or friends to COVID-19, Intense anguish and pain which could prove the undoing of Mr Johnson as well as being politically lethal for the entire Conservative Party.

Johnson himself has shifted from the party's biggest asset, with a Brexit fueled appeal separate to the conservative brand, to its biggest liability.

Not only has Johnson lost all respect, but also standing by him risks further contaminating the party brand, should the scandals continue.

The British government has launched an internal inquiry into revelations about multiple gatherings by Johnson's staff during COVID lockdowns.

Johnson has apologized for attending what he called "only a work meeting" at a time when social gatherings were banned. But the investigation and the apology have done little to quell the outrage.

The Prime Minister now faces resignation calls even from within his own party.

According to The Telegraph, something in the order of 20 Conservative MPs may have handed in letters of no confidence to the 1922 committee. Boris Johnson could be removed as leader of the Conservative Party should 54 or more of the Tory MPs send letters to the committee.

Meanwhile, the opposition Labour Party has seized the opportunity saying Johnson broke the law and then lied about it, therefore, he must resign.

Boris Johnson is too preoccupied defending his rule breaking, and as day follows night, when it comes to the National Health Service, you could never trust The Tories.

Rather than concentrating on getting through the pandemic and bringing down waiting lists (at NHS Hospitals), this self indulgent Tory Party is having a fight about a leader who they should have known from the start is not fit for office.

We've got a prime minister who is absent. He's literally in hiding at the moment and unable to lead and so that's why I've concluded that he's got to go, actually it's now in the national interest that he goes, so it's very important now that the Tory party does what it needs to do and gets rid of him.

Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, Leader of the Labor Party

The opposition Labour Party which has surged in the polls since the “Partygate” revelations started emerging last month since Johnson proven unfit for office.

Sir Keir Starmer asserts that the Prime Minister's actions and his inability to take any responsibility for them signify clearly that he can no longer adequately perform his basic duties.

A new poll released on Sunday shows that the Labour Party has gained its biggest lead against a Tory since 2013, amid criticism leveled at Boris Johnson, and his party, over prohibited social gatherings during COVID-19 lockdown periods.

The poll, conducted by Opinium Research, shows that Johnson's personal approval ratings fall below the worst figures ever recorded by Teresa May. A mere 22% of those surveyed approve of the job Johnson is doing as prime minister.

The Conservative Party has ‘achieved’ its worst electoral vote share since the general election putting it 10 points behind the opposition Labour Party.

Approximately two thirds of those surveyed believe that since Johnson and his entourage have broken numerous rules and then lied about it, he should resign.

That is while Boris Johnson secured a landslide election victory in 2019, but according to the poll, nearly half of the conservative who took part in the 2019 general election now say he should step down.

Boris Johnson is a proven liar. He's a rogue. He's a man for whom integrity is a foreign land. And he seems, quite astonishingly, impervious to the extent of the anger of the British public over these revelations which are coming fast and furious.

John Wight, Writer and Political Analyst

The Sunday Times reported that Johnson will look to save his position by making a series of populist announcements in the coming weeks, including reducing the National Health Service backlog, tackling the small boat crossings in the channel, freezing the BBC licence fee for two years and introducing a ban on alcohol in Downing Street.

But is that enough? The latest poll shows voters across the political spectrum are angry with the revelations, and most of those who supported the conservatives in the 2019 election, are turning against them.

The PM’s headache has been compounded by the skyrocketing cost of living, inadequate public services, a pandemic to recover from, and of course, the ongoing difficulties ensuing from Brexit.

It is now just a question of how long Boris Johnson might survive as prime minister of the United Kingdom, having gone from 'asset to liability" in eyes of the Tory elite..

 


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