3 yıl önce

No 10 apologises to Queen over party on eve of Prince Philip funeral

British PM Boris Johnson is now under growing pressure from some of his own lawmakers to quit after revelations of more social gatherings during Covid-19 lockdowns.

Reuters

Prince Philip's funeral at Windsor Castle was limited to just 30 guests due to government Covid rules, forcing the Queen to sit alone in a church pew to mourn.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office has apologised to Queen Elizabeth after it emerged that staff had partied late into the night in Downing Street on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, at a time when mixing indoors was banned.

"It is deeply regrettable this took place at a time of national mourning and No 10 (Downing Street) has apologised to the palace," Johnson's spokesperson told reporters on Friday.

The next day after the party, Queen Elizabeth bade farewell to Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, following his death aged 99.

Johnson is facing the gravest crisis of his premiership after almost daily revelations about a series of social gatherings during Covid-19 lockdowns, some held when ordinary people could not bid farewell in person to dying relatives.

Johnson under immense pressure

After building a political career out of flouting accepted norms, Johnson is now under growing pressure from some of his own lawmakers to quit.

Opponents say he is unfit to rule and has misled parliament by denying Covid-19 guidance was breached.

A small but growing number in his own Conservative Party have echoed those calls, fearing it will do lasting damage to its electoral prospects.

"Sadly, the Prime Minister's position has become untenable," said Conservative lawmaker Andrew Bridgen, a former Johnson supporter.

"The time is right to leave the stage."

Johnson has given a variety of explanations of the parties, ranging from denials that any rules were broken to expressing understanding for the public anger at apparent hypocrisy at the heart of the British state.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, seen as a possible successor, said "real mistakes" were made.

"We need to look at the overall position we're in as a country, the fact that he (Johnson) has delivered Brexit, that we are recovering from Covid ... He has apologised."

"I think we now need to move on."

SOURCE: TRTWorld and agencies