London, Jan 26 (IANS) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons that he welcomed a police investigation into alleged parties at Downing Street during the national lockdown.
Johnson faced calls to resign from opposition politicians during an urgent debate on Tuesday following the announcement by the Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, that a police investigation has been launched into “a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of Covid-19.”
“I welcome the Met’s decision to conduct its own investigation. I believe it will give the public the clarity it needs and draw a line under matters,” Johnson told the lawmakers.
The Prime Minister said he had commissioned an independent inquiry into a series of events at Downing Street, which “involved sharing information with the police continuously.”
Senior civil servant, Sue Gray is conducting the said inquiry into these alleged lockdown parties at Downing Street, though the date for its release has yet to be announced, Xinhua news agency reported.
During the debate about the police investigation, politicians from the main opposition Labour Party, the minority Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party called on Johnson to step down as Prime Minister.
Liberal Democrats leader, Ed Davey told lawmakers that the government was in meltdown,
adding: “We can’t go on with this chaotic government.”
He called on Johnson to “do the right thing and resign.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan also welcomed the investigation into the Downing Street parties by the Metropolitan Police.
“The public rightly expect the police to uphold the law without fear or favour, no matter who that involves. The public must be able to expect the highest standards from everyone, including the Prime Minister and those around him. No one is above the law. There cannot be one rule for the government and another for everyone else,” Khan said.
–IANS
int/khz/