British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized “unreservedly” to Parliament on Tuesday April 19, after being fined for breaking anti-Covid restrictions, without convincing the opposition who once again demanded his resignation.
With our correspondent in London, Emeline Wine
It was the first sitting since Boris Johnson was fined for attending a party, in Downing Street in June 2020. I want to take this opportunity to repeat my sincere apologies to this chamber. As soon as I received this fine, I said that I took note of the pain and the anger. I said that the British had a right to expect more from their Prime Minister “, he said to the deputies.
In December, the Prime Minister had however assured that he had broken no rules – but lying in the House of Commons is punishable by resignation. MPs will vote Thursday on opening an investigation.
The Conservative leader justified himself in advance. ” Allow me to add, not to clear myself or justify myself, but to explain the words that were mine here. It did not occur to me, then and since, that a gathering in the ministers’ meeting room, just before a crucial council on Covid-19, violated the rules “, continued Boris Johnson.
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An apology described as a vast joke by opposition leader Keir Starmer, who describes Boris Johnson’s refusal to quit as ” deep disrespect towards the victims of Covid-19. Several deputies, including tenors from the Conservative Party, have called on the Prime Minister to resign.