i take full responsibility for
everything done in this government and
throughout the pandemic british prime
minister boris johnson and members of
his staff are under fire for breaking
coronavirus lockdown rules that they put
in place
to the public johnson was very clear on
what the rules were this is not the time
simply to end the lockdown this week
from
thursday until the start of december
you must stay at home we will introduce
new restrictions
we cannot continue with christmas as
planned but at downing street it was a
different story and when i went into
that garden just after six on the 20th
of may
2020
to thank groups of staff before going
back into my office 25 minutes later to
continue working
i believed implicitly that this was
a work event london's metropolitan
police has launched a criminal
investigation and to bring your own
booze bashes and other parties allegedly
held at the prime minister's office and
residence at 10 downing street it can be
hard trying to keep track of all his
government's parties alleged to have
broken lockdown rules and not all were
attended by johnson but he's still
taking the heat for them is he getting
rid of the covered rules simply because
he doesn't understand them
the country is also awaiting an
investigative report into the party
allegations by civil servant sue gray
according to a spokesman for 10 downing
street gray has turned material over to
the police mr speaker i want to
apologize johnson's government has also
apologized to buckingham palace after it
was revealed that two going-away parties
for colleagues took place at downing
street on the eve of prince philip's
funeral in april 2021. johnson is not
believed to have attended these parties
the next day at her husband's funeral
queen elizabeth ii abided by the
lockdown rules that johnson's government
seemed to disregard
it was very clear that mistakes have
been made
he has apologized i think we now need to
move on downing street has maintained
that other gatherings that have been
reported like a christmas party in 2020
and a weekly wine time fridays were work
events
another alleged party being investigated
by police occurred on johnson's birthday
in june 2020 when indoor gatherings were
banned while johnson has continued to
hold his position as prime minister at
least three members of his staff have
resigned after breaking coronavirus
restrictions there's allegra stratton
his former press secretary tearfully
resigned in december 2021 after a video
leaked of her joking about a
rule-breaking christmas party at downing
street in december 2020
with the promise to condone uh having a
christmas
what's the answer i don't know what the
party was cheese and water
there's cheese from mine all right it's
a business meeting
this is recorded
fictional party was a business move
and it was not socially distanced
i was also furious to see that clip i
apologize unreservedly johnson's former
chief advisor dominic cummings resigned
in may 2020 after he drove six hours
north to shelter at his family farm
after he and his wife were infected with
the virus
and then there was former british health
secretary matt hancock who resigned in
june 2021 after he was caught breaking
coronavirus rules by kissing and
embracing an aid those of us who make
these rules have got to stick by them
and that's why i've got to resign
johnson has been known to survive
scandals in the past but many are
wondering if this is the one that will
bring him down we cannot have a country
in which any of us and that includes me
is above the law but in this
circumstance the prime minister should
simply resign step aside and go
[Music]