'People out there are sick to the back teeth of it being one rule for the Tories, and another for everyone else. The Prime Minister, for once, needs to do the right thing - for God's sake, resign!'

As Westminster, and the rest of the country, await the publication of Sue Gray’s report into the Downing Street parties scandal, Boris Johnson has faced renewed calls to resign. The calls were led by the Labour Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer at a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

Starmer implied that Johnson had misled the House of Commons through his comments in December in which he stated “there was no party” following early reports of goings on at Downing Street. Starmer also suggested this amounted to a breach of the ministerial code. Starmer went on to ask, “Since he acknowledges the Ministerial Code applies to him, will he now resign?”

Concluding his questions, Starmer criticised Johnson for his responses at PMQs and throughout the parties fiasco. He said, “Frankly the public have made up their minds. They know he’s not fit for the job – and that’s what really matters here. Throughout this scandal, the Tories have done immense damage to public trust.”

He continued, “The reality is that we have the shameful spectacle of a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom being subject to a police investigation, unable to lead the country, incapable of doing the right thing. And every day his Cabinet fail to speak out, they become more and more complicit.”

He concluded by asking, “Isn’t this a Prime Minister and a government that have shown nothing but contempt for the decency, honesty and respect that define this country?”

Backbench Labour MPs joined the calls, again drawing on comments Johnson had previously made regarding Downing Street parties. “My constituents think that he has lied. My constituents think he lied to this house. And my constituents think he lied to them when he was partying,” were the words of Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell Moyle. He added, “I would prefer to be led by a lawyer than a liar! Will he now resign?”

Labour MP Rushanara Ali was scathing in her criticism of the Prime Minister and also demanded his resignation. In addition to the ongoing parties scandal, Ali referenced the allegations of Islamophobia dogging the Conservative Party. She said, “Threats and intimidation, bribery and blackmail, racism and islamophobia – that’s the character of his government. Every day the Prime Minister lurches from scandal to scandal. And meanwhile, his government has written off £4.3bn to fraudsters. Instead of writing of loans to fraudsters, why won’t the Prime Minister write his resignation to the Queen?”

Former Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon said, “People out there are sick to the back teeth of it being one rule for the Tories, and another for everyone else. The Prime Minister, for once, needs to do the right thing – for God’s sake, resign!”

These calls were echoed by MPs from other parties, including the SNP’s leader in the House of Commons Ian Blackford. Describing Johnson as “a man who demeans the office of Prime Minister”, he went on to call for him to resign.

“This is the latest in a rap sheet that is already a mile long – illegally proroguing parliament, misleading the house, decorating with dodgy cash, partying while the public suffered. Every moment he stays, he’s dragging out the agony for families who are reminded of the sacrifices they made, and dragging his party further through the dirt. The public knows it, the House knows it. Even his own MPs know it. When will he cop on and go?” Blackford said.

Sue Gray’s reported into Downing Street parties is expected to be published imminently. Meanwhile, a separate investigation into potential criminality at parties alleged to have taken place is being conducted by the Metropolitan Police.

Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward

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