Boris Johnson must accept blame for insulting Queen over Downing Street parties on eve of Prince Philip’s funeral – The Yorkshire Post says

THE Queen’s stoicism at the funeral of Prince Philip makes the latest revelations about two further booze-filled lockdown staff parties at Downing Street even more unforgivable as Boris Johnson comes under even greater pressure to resign.
By YP Comment
Published 15th Jan 2022, 06:05 BST
File photo dated 17/04/21 of Queen Elizabeth II after taking her seat for the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Prime Minister's former director of communications James Slack has apologised for the "anger and hurt" caused by a leaving party held in Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral. Mr Slack, who last year left No 10 to become deputy editor-in-chief at The Sun, said the party on April 16 2021, "should not have happened at the time that it did".File photo dated 17/04/21 of Queen Elizabeth II after taking her seat for the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Prime Minister's former director of communications James Slack has apologised for the "anger and hurt" caused by a leaving party held in Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral. Mr Slack, who last year left No 10 to become deputy editor-in-chief at The Sun, said the party on April 16 2021, "should not have happened at the time that it did".
File photo dated 17/04/21 of Queen Elizabeth II after taking her seat for the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Prime Minister's former director of communications James Slack has apologised for the "anger and hurt" caused by a leaving party held in Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral. Mr Slack, who last year left No 10 to become deputy editor-in-chief at The Sun, said the party on April 16 2021, "should not have happened at the time that it did".

Her Majesty’s dutiful example, sitting alone in St George’s Chapel in order to comply with Covid rules on social distancing as she said a painful farewell to her husband of 73 years, was at odds with the previous night’s shameful antics at the Prime Minister’s residence at a time of national mourning and global crisis.

Why Boris Johnson must resign over Downing Street’s boozy lockdown parties and contempt for Covid families – Tom Richmond

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And while Mr Johnson was reportedly not present for the shenanigans that took place at his communications director James Slack’s leaving do, the fact it fell to an aide, and not the PM, to apologise to Her Majesty reveals a disrespect which is deeply offensive and a wider breakdown of trust now beyond repair.

Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions this week.Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions this week.
Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions this week.

After all, this was not a one-off episode attributable to high-jinx as Mr Slack fights to keep his current job at The Sun newspaper and the CBE that he received in 2019.

Now more than 10 gatherings feature in the inquiry being headed by Sue Gray, including a ‘bring your own booze’ party on May 20, 2020, that Mr Johnson attended – a number which makes a mockery of the PM’s pretence to Parliament that no rules were “broken” in Downing Street.

But this country should not have to wait for Ms Gray to deliver her verdict as the business of government grinds to a halt – this serial rulebreaking took place on Mr Johnson’s watch and he alone ultimately responsible for the culture, and example, set by his team.

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And given the public’s revulsion at the extent to which Downing Street ignored the social restrictions that the rest of Britain, including the Queen, followed, even in times of sorrow, Mr Johnson should stop hiding behind officials and semantics and accept that his premiership is now over.

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Related topics:Boris JohnsonQueenDowning StreetHer MajestyYorkshire Post

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