PM Johnson refuses to step down following 'partygate' report
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Calls for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign are soaring as the probe into his parties found that it reflected failures of leadership and judgment in his government.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday refused calls for his resignation after an investigation into a series of parties held in Downing Street during a strict, nationwide COVID-19 lockdown found there were serious "failures of leadership and judgment."
"I am going to get on with the job," Johnson told Parliament after the report on the inquiry conducted by senior civil servant Sue Gray was released.
Nevertheless, Johnson "apologized" before Parliament over the aforementioned report that condemned his government.
"Firstly, I want to say sorry. I am sorry for the things we simply didn't get right and sorry for the way this matter has been handled," Johnson told MPs.
He claimed that it was "[not] enough to say sorry," and said the pandemic was hard for everyone, admitting that he had asked people in the UK to make great sacrifices to prevent spreading the virus - ones to which he did not adhere.
The prime minister's office received the internal report into the "partygate" scandal earlier on Monday.
"We can confirm that Sue Gray has provided an update on her investigations to the prime minister," read a version of the statement from a Cabinet Office spokesperson.
The long-awaited report, which was published as an update after the London Metropolitan Police had asked Gray to make minimal reference to some of the gatherings to avoid prejudice on their own investigation, found that the parties "should not have been allowed to take place."
London police on Friday denied the accusations they were facing of delaying the government probe. The public was concerned that police involvement could prevent the disclosure of full details.
Additionally, Johnson's spokesperson claimed the government wanted to ensure the internal report did not "cut across" the police investigation, so as not to prejudice any future legal proceedings.
"Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behavior surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify," Gray said.
The delay in delivering the report has benefitted the premier, giving him some breathing space after he promised to address parliament as soon as the report is made public.
Many Tory figures believed the publication of the final report would most certainly incriminate Johnson and have thusly begun to hand or draft letters that would trigger a leadership contest.
This "partygate" scandal may become the tipping point for the prime minister who was embroiled in controversies ranging from rule-breaking to outright corruption.
