Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon: One killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting the town of Houla
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli force of five vehicles is advancing towards Saraya Rasem al-Halabi in the central Quneitra countryside, southern Syria
Baghaei to Al Mayadeen: The core of these factions is the Israeli occupation entity, which seeks to keep the region in a state of continuous war
Al-Qassam Brigades: Resistance fighters inflicted casualties on Israeli forces and closely monitored helicopter evacuation operations
Al-Qassam Brigades: Resistance fighters targeted three Israeli vehicles using two Shawaz explosive devices and a tandem RPG, before confronting another Israeli force
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Five martyrs reported in the Israeli bombing of al-Hasayna School in al-Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip
Baqaei to Al Mayadeen: It is clear to any observer that US lawmakers are increasingly influenced by factions opposed to diplomacy
Baqaei to Al Mayadeen: We believe that a strong region consists of strong, reconciled, and united countries; based on this, we extend our hand to all our neighbors
Baqaei to Al Mayadeen: Iran considers its neighbors highly important, with regional security remaining a strategic priority
Baqaei to Al Mayadeen: US' insistence on completely halting Iran’s uranium enrichment raises questions about their true intentions

Johnson reacts to Gray report, pleads "oblivious" to drinking, parties

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 26 May 2022 09:33
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

An inquiry into Johnson's lies is underway.

  • x
  • Johnson's leadership crisis continues to plunge.
    Johnson's leadership crisis continues to plunge.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is insisting that he, the head of the state, was oblivious to the culture of excessive drinking and partying in Downing Street during the lockdown period, despite the damning Sue Gray report which exposes the rules that were broken from governmental officials.

Read more: UK PM Johnson to face 'Partygate' lying probe

 

The Sue Gray report was published yesterday exposes events, which amount to 15, where officials have spilled red wine on the walls of 10 Downing Street, vomited, got into fights, used the karaoke machine, and continued party activities until 4 am while the British population has been subjected to strict COVID-19 regulations.

In a series of statements, Johnson said that he had only attended "work events" to boost morale. A cabinet minister, Oliver Dowden, simply told the public to "move on." 

According to the report, No 10 officials planned several of the events in detail, even when there were warnings against proceedings. The report revealed messages telling wasted staff to leave from the back entrance of Downing Street to avoid being photographed. One message read, “we seem to have got away with” drinks gatherings.

Gray, furthermore, said there were "multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff," demanding Johnson to apologize. 

Related News

UK, EU reset post-Brexit relations with defense and trade pact

Labour Minister breaks ranks, blasts government over Gaza

The report concluded: “Whatever the initial intent, what took place at many of these gatherings and the way in which they developed was not in line with Covid guidance at the time … the senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture.”

The chair of the House of Commons standards committee, Chris Bryant, said that Johnson had turned No 10 into “a cesspit full of arrogant, entitled narcissists.”

The MP for York Outer, Julian Sturdy, demanded that Johnson resigns: “I am now unable to give the prime minister the benefit of the doubt and feel it is now in the public interest for him to resign.”

See more: Most of the British public wants Boris Johnson to resign

 

At least three Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence on Wednesday.

Although Johnson told MPs that he took “full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch”, he nonetheless insisted that it never occurred to him that any of the eight gatherings attended were against the rules.

Putting forward an alibi for his attendance of the events, Johnson said: “I believe they were work events, they were part of my job, and that view appears to be substantiated by the fact I wasn’t fined for those events,” Johnson said. “I believe that recognizing achievement and preserving morale are essential duties of leadership.”

Read more: Partygate: New photos reveal Johnson's lies

 

The House of Commons privileges committee will be initiating an inquiry into Johnson's behavior, particularly regarding whether he misled parliament when he claimed that the COVID-19 regulations were followed at all times. 

Hundreds of photographs received by Gray will be handed to those handling the inquiry as part of evidence gathering. In the report, only seven were published.

Scottish leader in the Conservative party, Douglas Ross, commented: “If they reach a conclusion that the prime minister deliberately and intentionally went to the House of Commons to mislead people, then the ministerial code is actually very clear. The expectation is that the prime minister or any minister should stand down."

  • Boris Johnson
  • United Kingdom

Most Read

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

  • Politics
  • 15 May 2025
Two F-35 jets arrive at it's new operational base Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. (AP)

F-35 near-misses over Yemen signal new risks for 'Israel': Forbes

  • Politics
  • 14 May 2025
Abu Obaida

Abu Obeida posts shortly after Israeli reports about his assassination

  • Palestine
  • 15 May 2025
YAF say struck 'Israel's' Ben-Gurion Airport with missiles, drones

YAF say struck 'Israel's' Ben Gurion Airport with missiles, drones

  • MENA
  • 18 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (right) poses with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the UK-EU Summit at Lancaster House in London on May 19, 2025. (Pool/AFP)
US & Canada

UK, EU reset post-Brexit relations with defense and trade pact

Vice President JD Vance, right, and his wife Usha attend Pope Leo XIV's formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, May 18, 2025 (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)
US & Canada

Axios: Vance scraps 'Israel' visit over new operation in Gaza

''Israel' resumed Gaza aid', says Netanyahu amid full invasion calls
Politics

Netanyahu: We are going to take over all of Gaza

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, center, after a meeting, Jakarta, Indonesia on August 1, 2017 (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Europe

Telegram’s Durov says France sought to censor Romanian conservatives

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS