LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a blow to his authority when lawmakers triggered an investigation into whether he had misled parliament and an influential former ally called on him to quit.
Johnson has been fighting for political survival for months after he told parliament that his Downing Street office had followed all lockdown rules during the COVID pandemic but an internal report revealed it had held alcohol-fuelled parties.
Police have since fined Johnson. He denies deliberately misleading parliament, which is a resigning matter, and says he did not realise he was breaking the rules. He has apologised for his conduct.
During a parliamentary debate, politicians from all sides called on Johnson to go and lawmakers backed an opposition motion that his statements “appear to amount to misleading the House” and should be investigated by its Committee of Privileges. Johnson’s Conservatives did not oppose the move.
The episode reignites questions about Johnson’s future, with further revelations and fines over lockdown parties possible and local elections on May 5 expected to reveal that voters’ trust in his leadership has been badly damaged.
“I don’t want this thing to endlessly go on. But I have absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide,” Johnson said when asked about the investigations during a visit to India.
In the parliamentary debate before lawmakers approved the motion, one once loyal lawmaker from the ruling Conservatives said the prime minister should now quit. Steve Baker accused Johnson of breaking the “letter and spirit” of the law, adding: “The prime minister now should be long gone… (He) should just know that the gig’s up.”
Baker, a former minister, strongly supported Johnson over taking Britain out of the European Union and he retains influence among some Conservative lawmakers after successfully coordinating their resistance to efforts to water down Brexit.
Johnson now could face the release of further evidence of parties at the heart of government during the stringent lockdowns he had ordered the country to observe. He may also be fined again for further gatherings, although police said they would delay further updates on their investigation until after local elections on May 5.
To mount a challenge to Johnson’s leadership, 54 Conservative lawmakers must write letters expressing no confidence in him. That would lead to a confidence vote and, if he lost, a contest to replace him.
