Nadim Zahawi Boris Johnson thinks the Downing Street closing party was a work event Politics News

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The Education Secretary defended the Prime Minister, saying Boris Johnson did not know the Downing Street shutdown event was a party.

“It is not true that the prime minister was aware of this. He tacitly believed that this was a business event,” Nadim Zahawi told Sky News’ Kay Burley.

He said senior government employee Sue Gray should be allowed to conduct her investigation at the garden party in May 2020 at No. 10, and several other employees of Westminster.

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The education minister confirmed Ms Gray had questioned Johnson, saying he had “presented himself for this investigation”, which is expected to conclude next week.

He added that the prime minister wishes he can “turn back the clock”, and after losing his uncle to COVID, Zahawi said he shared their anger with the public.

“I can certainly tell you that the prime minister is in pain,” he said.

“All I can say is that we should allow the investigation to take place. Why? Because that’s the fair thing – don’t convict a man without a thorough investigation.”

Zahawi also said he hoped Sir Keir Starmer would apologize after a new photo surfaced over the weekend of the Labor leader drinking beer with colleagues at a constituency office in the spring of 2021, when internal mingling was not allowed away from work.

The Prime Minister is facing new allegations that he attended a departure party for his defense adviser, Captain Steve Higham, just before Christmas in 2020, when London was under severe restrictions over the Corona virus. Mr Johnson is reported to have given a speech.

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It is not known if this event will be included in Ms. Gray’s investigation.

There have also been reports that Mr Johnson could reform his top team in the wake of the allegations, including the sacking of chief private secretary Martin Reynolds, who emailed staff to invite them to a garden party in May 2020.

Anger and angst among Tory MPs appear to be growing, with Tim Lawton becoming the sixth lawmaker to publicly call for the prime minister’s resignation due to the “ultimate damage” the revelation has done to his reputation.

Party insiders estimated that about 20 Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson to the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, the Daily Telegraph reported.

A formal vote of no-confidence will be held if 54 letters are submitted.

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