Inside Politics: Tories call on PM to quit after he apologises for attending boozy lockdown party

Discontent grows as Johnson claims he thought ‘bring your own booze’ party was a work event, writes Matt Mathers

(BBC Parliament)

The government benches may have been full yesterday at PMQs but the mood among Tory MPs was visibly subdued as Boris Johnson finally broke his silence on the latest partygate report. The usually furiously nodding heads at the front sat bowed and still as the prime minister apologised to the Commons and the country for attending a lockdown-busting bash on 20 May 2020, which he said he thought, at the time, was a work event and therefore technically within the rules, leading Keir Starmer to brand the excuse “ridiculous”. This morning’s Metro headline surmises: ‘Sorry, not sorry’. Johnson now faces calls from some senior Tories to resign and while the cabinet has begun to rally around him, support from the apparent heir to the throne has been noted as lukewarm. As we enter day four of the ‘bring your own booze’ garden party bash, one poll now puts Labour in a 10 point lead. Away from partygate, the government’s VIP fast lane for suppliers of Covid protective equipment with connections to ministers and officials has been ruled unlawful by the High Court and the trade secretary is trying to kick-start post-Brexit talks with India.

Inside the bubble

Commons action kicks off at 9.30am with Cabinet Office questions, followed by any urgent questions. After that, Jacob Rees-Mogg delivers his weekly business statement. The main business comes later with backbench debates on the detention of Bahraini political prisoners and on the joint Online Safety Bill committee’s first report. There is also an adjournment debate on the government’s Troubles legacy legislation led by former veterans minister Johnny Mercer.