London: Caught partying during a pandemic, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson bought himself some breathing space with an apology and a promise to change. But his troubles are far from over. Johnson was battling to rally a rancorous Conservative Party recently after an inquiry slammed failures at the top that led to Downing Street staff holding boozy parties while the country was in lockdown.
He told lawmakers in Parliament “I get it, and I will fix it,” promising to overhaul the way his office runs after senior civil servant Sue Gray found in her partial report that “failures of leadership and judgment” allowed events to occur that “should not have been allowed to take place.”
Johnson addressed scores of Conservative legislators behind closed doors on Monday night, assuring them he took criticisms seriously and promising to get a tighter grip on a Downing Street operation that Gray found was marked by excessive drinking and dysfunctional dynamics.
There could be worse to come. Gray only released her findings on four of 16 events being probed, because police are investigating the other dozen — including an alleged ABBA-themed party in the prime minister’s private Downing Street apartment. Gray is expected to produce a full report once the police investigation is finished. The government initially declined to promise that report would be published in full but agreed to do so after coming under intense pressure.
For now, many Conservatives are biding their time, sticking by the leader who won them an 80-seat parliamentary majority in 2019. The party has a history of ousting leaders once they become liabilities, and Johnson could yet face a no-confidence vote from his own side if the police or Gray produce more damning evidence. Under party rules, such a vote is triggered if 15% of party lawmakers — currently 54 people — write letters calling for one. (IndiaTV News)
