The campaign to beat the pandemic

Press statement Johnson’s lies debase our democracy and we deserve better, say campaigners

·        Sue Gray’s report confirms what we already know
·        No. 10’s parties put the public in danger
·        ‘Taking full responsibility’ means being willing to resign
·        Nearly 200,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the UK so far – a damning indictment of this government’s management of the pandemic.

Zero Covid UK is shocked and appalled by the attitude of Boris Johnson and some of his MPs to Sue Gray’s report. It was clear long ago that he and his staff at 10 Downing Street had flouted their own Covid regulations, and Ms Gray’s report has confirmed it. As if that were not bad enough, Johnson has lied about it on numerous occasions, including to the House of Commons.

At the time these offences were committed, there was no vaccine for Covid-19. People who caught it were in danger of serious illness or death. The death rate ran to several hundreds of people per day and it was necessary to keep people apart from each other to save lives. The actions of those who attended the Downing Street parties put people’s lives in danger and showed contempt for the people of the UK.

Because hospitals and care homes were obeying the law, Covid sufferers died alone or without their relatives. The law prevented people from holding proper funerals. No other workplaces were allowed to hold drinks parties, even if they were ‘leaving dos’. Schools were closed for months, and other workplaces had to conduct their business in a socially distanced way. Many of our key workers died doing their jobs.

Johnson’s behaviour debases his office and corrupts our national life. Political decisions now seem to be based on what politicians can get away with rather than what is right, proper or even lawful. This situation cannot be tolerated. Johnson has disobeyed the law and allowed others to do so. He must resign. Ignorance is no defence in law, and there is no situation where someone can ‘move on’ after committing a criminal offence, as if it doesn’t matter.

Anyone in any ordinary job would have been suspended pending an investigation as soon as these allegations emerged, and when they were found guilty, they would then have been sacked for gross misconduct, and the police called in. ‘Taking full responsibility’ means that you’re willing to pay the penalty. Johnson should pay it and be gone.

Almost 200,000 people have died of Covid-19 in this country so far, yet the government wants to pretend the pandemic is over. We deserve better than this.

Press contact: press@zerocovid.uk

Image is by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0