Boris Johnson has hit back at Former Prime Minister John Major by accusing him of being “demonstrably untrue” when accusing Johnson of having “shredded” Britain’s reputation overseas with his Partygate scandal.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has clashed with his predecessor John Major, with Major accusing the current government of embarrassing themselves by “dreaming up” “brazen excuses” and expecting the public “day after day” to “believe the unbelievable”, rather than come clean about the fact they had broken coronavirus restrictions on multiple occasions.
Major — who was Prime Minister between 1990 and 1997 — also highlighted that these “outright lies” have ramifications overseas with the government being viewed as “distinctly shifty” with “its every word treated with suspicion”.
Johnson has however hit back at Major saying that the accusation that Britain’s reputation has been damaged when questioned in a Sky News interview today by babbling in his usual buffoon-act style before saying that Major’s allegation is “demonstrably untrue”.
The Prime Minister illustrated his point by highlighting that Britain had led the charge to try and resolve hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, which he claimed Eastern European nations were grateful for.
Johnson however did not have an answer to Major’s lambasting of his “foolish behaviour” around holding parties rule-breaking throughout lockdown, or Major’s allegation that with every lie or “half-truth” from the Johnson government that aimed to distract from that fact British politics “dies a little more”.
“I’m going to have plenty to say about all that in due course”, the Partygate Prime Minister sheepishly responded, before changing the topic.
Major’s comments are remarkable given his own secret affair with a government minister while they were both married and the damage that revelation made to the Conservative party.
Nevertheless, Major’s words were somewhat reflective of the nation’s mood as he highlighted the Prime Minister and the other governmental rule breakers “not only challenge the law, but also seem to believe that they – and they alone – need not obey the rules, traditions, conventions – call them what you will – of public life”.
“The charge that there is one law for the government and one for everyone else is politically deadly – and it has struck home”, Major finished.
Dame Cressida Dick the head of the Metropolitan Police has now confirmed that up to 50 rule-breakers at Number 10 Downing Street will be fined if they attended one of the illegal gatherings at the PM’s residence.
Johnson has so far refused to comment on whether he will resign or not if he is fined over the Partygate scandal.