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Boris Johnson’s hangover
The parties
There were at least two in 2020:
- In May, when restrictions were in place to contain Covid, between 20 and 40 people met in Downing Street, the prime minister’s residence, with cheeses and wines on the menu;
- At Christmas, when face-to-face celebrations were still prohibited due to health restrictions, another party would have been held there.
Video, photo and ‘Bring Your Drink’
The case of the May 2020 party came to light last December, when newspapers ran a photo of Boris at the event. This week, the content of the invitation was released, which said “bring your drink”. Also in December, a video of a counselor laughing about the Christmas party went viral.
What did Boris say?
First, he denied any breach of the imposed rules, even after the video of his publicist – she resigned last December. This week, however, Boris admitted the May 2020 event to Parliament and asked for “sincere apologies”.
He also stated that he thought the meeting was a work meeting, remained there for 25 minutes to thank the employees and returned to the office.
the reactions
Boris’ speech provoked boos and laughter in Parliament, especially from opposition lawmakers – who did not spare him calls for resignation. “The party is over, Prime Minister,” said Keir Starmer, leader of the Labor Party. “After months of hiding the truth, [vimos] the pathetic spectacle of an aimless man.”
Prime Minister Christopher Chope’s supporter described Boris’ statement as “the most abject apology I have ever heard”. The phrases help to illustrate how acute the image crisis faced by the Brit is.
End of Boris?
The May 2020 cheese and wine hangover adds to other wear and tear. The frying ranges from the Conservative Party’s loss of prestige and political capital to opinion polls that show the support of more than half of those interviewed for his departure from office.
The prime minister can be deposed, but the process is bureaucratic and demands articulation behind the scenes. At least 15% of the Conservative Party bench (55 out of 361) would have to write to a committee that, with that quorum, would convene the “vote of confidence”. In this consultation, the simple majority — there are 650 seats in the House — would overthrow Boris.
Want to know more?
image of the week
Where: Los Angeles, USA.
What happened: The pilot of a single engine had to make an emergency landing on a railway and, injured, was rescued by police seconds before a passenger train collided with the aircraft.
the week in the world in eight topics
NORTH AMERICA
ASIA
EUROPE
LATIN AMERICA
- the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, announced that he will not attend two leftist inaugurations in Latin America: in Chile, de Gabriel Boric, is on Honduras —where the elected Xiomara Castro invited Lula to the ceremony.
AFRICA
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