Ed Miliband has been praised for a sustained takedown of Boris Johnson and the government over the latest party revelation.
Appearing on various media channels this morning, the former leader of the Labour Party slammed Johnson over his alleged involvement in the party that took place on 20th May 2020 while the country obeyed strict lockdown rules, and said he was presiding over a “rotten culture”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 this morning, he called the revelations “incredibly damning” and said the party was “clearly the most flagrant violation of the rules.”
“It’s all very well that we are having Sue Gray’s inquiry,” he said. “But the prime minister cannot run, and he cannot hide.”
He also added: “It speaks to a rotten culture at the heart of this government and the rotten culture begins with the person in charge.”
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The allegations are that the PM was present at the aforementioned conference. “bring-your-own-booze’ event in the Number 10 garden at the height of lockdown one in May 2020 in which staff made “the most of the lovely weather”.
Email leaked by ITV News was sent by Boris Johnson’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds to more than 100 employees in May 2020 at a time in which people could only meet one on one outside.
It read: “Hi all, after what has been an incredibly busy period it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening.
“Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!”
ITV News reports that 40 people were there, including the PM himself and Carrie Johnson. Johnson however was asked Monday if he and his spouse attended the party on May 20th. “All that, as you know, is the subject of a proper investigation by Sue Gray.”
Downing Street also said to ITV News, that they would not comment on this story due the Sue Gray inquiry.
But speaking to Sky News’ Kay Burley, Miliband said that it would be “completely reprehensible”Johnson would be able to attend the party and that would help his position “very difficult”.
“How can he lead the country through these difficult times… if he has so flagrantly breached the rules?”He said.
“He knows if he went to the party or not. He doesn’t need Sue Gray, the person in charge of the inquiry, to tell him if he went to the party.
“I couldn’t imagine presiding over a culture of such rule breaking and such arrogance. It’s such arrogance of power that this speaks to”.
People were quick to respond to his many interventions and praise him for his incisive analysis.
Who knew chaos with Ed Miliband, or canapes and Boris Johnson was the true choice?