Full report on 'Party Door' released

　　□ Our trainee reporter Wang Wei Our reporter Wu Qiong

　　Following the addition of new "criminal evidence" to the "Party Door" involved by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and others in the BBC's program on May 24, the full report of the British "Party Door" was released on the 25th, bringing together the Prime Minister's Office and The Cabinet Office organized a dinner party in violation of the epidemic prevention ban, and the participants vomited and vomited, and pointed out that the leadership should bear the responsibility.

Boris Johnson responded that he was willing to "take full responsibility", but said he should "move forward" after the incident and did not express his intention to resign.

　　New photo exposure

　　According to Reuters, the "party gate" involved by Boris Johnson and others has recently added new material, and the media once again exposed a group of photos of Johnson drinking at a party during the epidemic prevention period.

According to the British Independent Television report, this group of photos was taken in November 2020, when the Prime Minister's Office held a departure party to bid farewell to the former Prime Minister's Communications Director Lee Kane.

The footage shows Johnson holding a half glass of wine in his hand, speaking and toasting, looking very happy.

　　According to the revelations, the Downing Street Press Office was still holding a Friday reception as usual. From 4 pm, dozens of people gathered in a room.

A security guard tried to stop the party, but was mocked instead.

　　The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that at the time of the incident, due to the rising number of new crown cases, the United Kingdom entered a state of lockdown for the second time, prohibiting indoor gatherings of two or more people unless it is "reasonably necessary" for work purposes.

　　Regarding the latest exposed photos, the BBC said that the police had issued tickets related to the 10th Downing Street party on November 13, 2020. At least one person who participated in the event was fined, but Johnson was not fined for this party. , the police refused to explain.

　　Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the UK Liberal Democrats, said indignantly: "If someone is photographed at a party like this during lockdown, it's enough evidence that he should be fined. It seems there is a rule for the prime minister, for everyone else. There is another rule."

　　The Liberal Democrats have reportedly written to the UK's Independent Office for Police Conduct, questioning why the prime minister was not fined and asking them to review the police's initial investigation.

　　Previously, the British media have repeatedly exposed that during the epidemic blockade, Johnson blatantly violated the epidemic prevention order he personally issued by holding parties in Downing Street or other government departments several times.

　　On January 25, under increasing public pressure, Downing Street admitted for the first time that it hosted a party during the coronavirus lockdown on June 19, 2020, to celebrate Johnson's birthday.

83 people broke the rules at the party, some of them drinking, fighting and damaging the property of the Prime Minister's Office.

Since then, relevant revelations have appeared in the newspapers again and again, bringing great pressure to the Johnson government.

　　Opposition accuses

　　The new photos have sparked new accusations by opposition MPs that Johnson "misled Parliament".

Labour MPs had asked Johnson in the House of Commons if there had been a party in Downing Street on November 13, 2020.

Johnson had replied: "No. I'm sure, no matter what happened, at all times, I followed the rules."

　　Opposition Labour deputy leader Angela Renner accused Johnson of "lying" as the latest photos came to light.

"The Prime Minister has brought him down in the hearts of the people, and the British people deserve better," Reiner said.

　　"Johnson has repeatedly said he knew nothing about the violation, and now there is no doubt that he lied," Reiner said. "Johnson made the rule and broke it with his own hands."

　　Daisy Cooper said the release of the photos showed Johnson "taking the British people for fools", while Ian Blackford of the SNP called Johnson a "charlatan".

　　Ruth Davidson, the former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, said Johnson's position was untenable.

And senior Conservative MP Roger Gale bluntly said the latest photos were "shocking" and suggested Johnson resign.

　　Johnson's rival, Conservative MP Tobias Elwood, also continued to call for Johnson to step down and warned Conservative MPs that "party gates" could lead to the Conservatives' defeat in the next parliamentary election.

"Are you willing to keep defending his actions publicly?"

　　Conservative MP Mark Harper said Johnson's actions were untenable and he should resign as prime minister.

　　Regarding the new photos, according to the British Prime Minister's Office, the police have the right to obtain all information, including photos, during the investigation.

Asked by a Reuters reporter if they noticed pictures of Kane's departure party during their investigation, the Metropolitan Police responded with a statement released by the police at the end of the investigation.

　　Still not intending to resign

　　Johnson's "Party Door" involved multiple gatherings. Although the police investigation has ended, a total of 126 tickets were issued for gatherings in the Prime Minister's Office and other government offices that violated epidemic prevention regulations during the epidemic, involving 83 people, but the "Party Door" incident is still happening. Continuous fermentation.

　　On the 25th, the British Cabinet Office released a full version of the investigation report on the gatherings held during the new crown epidemic in the Prime Minister's Office.

The investigation, chaired by the permanent secretary of the British Cabinet Office, Gray, involved 16 gatherings held in the Prime Minister's Office and other government offices in 2020 and 2021. The preliminary results of the investigation were released at the end of January this year.

　　The full version of the investigation report said that many government leaders participated in the gatherings under investigation, and some low-level civil servants believed that such gatherings had been "approved by their superiors" and that some gatherings had excessive drinking.

The high-level leadership involved in the gathering must take responsibility for this ethos.

　　Johnson has been under pressure to resign because of the scandal, not only from opposition parties such as Labour and the Liberal Democrats, but even from within the ruling Conservative Party.

　　Johnson responded to the inquiry in the lower house of parliament on the day the full report was released.

He said that he "takes full responsibility" for the illegal gathering in the Prime Minister's Office during the new crown epidemic, and once again said that he will not resign because of this.

　　Labour continued to pursue it, saying Gray's full report revealed a "criminal record" that once again proved Johnson must step down.

"You can't be a MP and break the law," Labour leader Keir Starmer told Johnson in parliament. "It's time for you to pack up and go."

　　A quick poll by YouGov found that 59% of those surveyed said the prime minister should leave Downing Street, with 27% of those who voted for the Conservatives at the 2019 election .

Meanwhile, a whopping 88 per cent of respondents who voted Labour in the 2019 general election believed the prime minister should resign.

A total of more than 2,700 people took the poll.

　　Throughout the British Prime Ministers, many have encountered the crisis of "stepping down" during their tenure.

But it is worth mentioning that because of the "Partygate" incident, Johnson became the first prime minister in British history to break the law while in office.

The aftermath of this incident has not yet settled, and its subsequent impact on Johnson and the Conservative Party will continue for some time.