Johnson faces PMQ crisis as pressure mounts over 10 concerts | Boris Johnson

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Boris Johnson faces a reprieve from the Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday, as angry Conservative MPs await his explanation of the “Bring Your Wine” garden party in May 2020.

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “He now has an opportunity to express his opinion before the British public, which has been devastated by these allegations.

“Surprisingly, the prime minister has now spent two days where he could have simply answered that question with a yes or no – were you there at this party? – and he refused to do so.”

More than 10 Conservative MPs have publicly criticized the Downing Street rally, details of which appeared in a leaked email from Johnson’s chief private secretary, Martin Reynolds.

Nigel Mills, MP for Amber Valley, said Johnson’s position would be “unacceptable” if he attended the ceremony. “If the prime minister attended a party on purpose, I can’t see how he could survive having accepted so much less resignations,” he told BBC News.

And before his spokesman resigned [Allegra Stratton] For not attending a party but joking about it in a much lighter time than restrictions. I just think this is untenable.”

Several Tory MPs are expressing their anger in private, although some are willing to wait for the results of an investigation by civil servant Sue Gray at a chain of parties in Downing Street.

A former minister said the Conservatives would be watching the prime minister’s questions closely. “Beyond that, you’ll get a very clear idea from colleagues as to whether they think this is a sustainable position.”

Several witnesses said Johnson and his wife, Carey, attended the meeting. The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Ed Davey, called for his resignation.

“Millions of people have obeyed the lockdown rules, often at an exorbitant personal expense. They have missed funerals, canceled weddings, and bid farewell to dying loved ones via video calls – some on the same day Number 10 illegally hosted a garden party,” He said.

“Boris Johnson has become a threat to the health of our nation, and for the sake of the country still reeling from this terrible pandemic, he must resign.”

Labor leader Keir Starmer will come out of Covid self-isolation to ask questions of Johnson in the House of Commons, after receiving his second negative collateral flow test.

The prime minister is expected to be accused of misleading parliament about his role in closing social events.

The May 20 party – as well as a May 15 gathering revealed by the Guardian – took place at a time when the public was allowed to meet only one person outdoors from outside their home.

The government did not ask a minister to answer questions in radio interviews on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, young minister Michael Ellis was dispatched to answer MPs’ questions about the party, insisting that most of those should wait for Gray’s investigation.

“Of course Sue Gray plays an important role in terms of the broader investigation, but we don’t need to wait for that,” Rayner said. She added that the Metropolitan Police “can and should” investigate the incident. The Met said they are in discussions with the Cabinet Office about the claims.

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