London. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized in the House of Commons on Wednesday amid growing outrage over reports of a party in the Garden of his Downing House residence during the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus in May 2020. Johnson has been criticized by members of the opposition Labor Party as well as his own Conservative Party after an emailed invitation to the party to be held in the Garden of 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, appeared in the media. There is a lot of pressure. Expressing regret in this matter, he admitted for the first time that he had joined the party. Johnson said he thought the event was within the scope of his work-related events.
In his statement in the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament, ahead of the Prime Minister’s weekly question session, Johnson said, “I want to apologize. I know that millions of people in this country have made extraordinary sacrifices in the last 18 months. It is the people who are not following the rules properly in Downing Street. I cannot predict the outcome of the current investigation, but I understand very well that we did not take certain things right and I must take responsibility.”
Johnson asked Parliament to wait for the results of the ongoing investigation into cases of violation of the rules of lockdown by the people of the government. He also said, “I think it was a work-related event. Thinking far, I should send back everyone present there. I should have thought of some other way of thanking him.”
Labor leader Keir Starmer, on behalf of the opposition camp, launched a scathing attack on Johnson. “How ridiculous is his (Johnson’s) defense that he didn’t even know he was in the party. This is actually a joke of the British public.” He asked, “When there was a lockdown in the whole country, he was partying in Downing Street. Now will he take appropriate steps and resign?”
During this, Members of Parliament described the move of the Prime Minister’s apology as ‘too little and too late’, due to which the Prime Minister had to express regret again and again.
Johnson said, “I want to reiterate that I thought it was a business event and I am very sorry that we did not see things differently that evening.” He said, “I will take responsibility. I do and I apologise. But as far as his (Starmer’s) political stand is concerned, I think he should not speculate about the outcome of the investigation.”
Sue Gray, a senior UK public servant, is investigating the matter of such alleged violations of the lockdown in Downing Street and other government circles.