'We can’t use Ukraine as a fig leaf to dodge those difficult questions'
Tory MP Tobias Ellwood has warned his colleagues that the partygate scandal will not go away and said that the Conservative party must be prepared to dump Boris Johnson as leader.
Ellwood’s comments come after a disastrous few days for Johnson, with the government forced into a humiliating U-turn after attempting to delay an inquiry by the privileges committee into whether Johnson knowingly misled the House when he told MPs there had been no Downing Street Parties. It was then decided at the last minute that Tory MPs would be given a free vote, after Tory whips realised they had underestimated the scale of anger on the backbenches following Johnson’s fine by the Metropolitan Police for breaking lockdown rules.
Labour’s motion pushing for an inquiry was passed with a ‘nod’ and without a formal vote meaning Johnson will now be formally investigated by the Commons’ privileges committee over allegations he misled Parliament.
Appearing on Sky News, Ellwood said: “All MPs are deeply troubled by what the party is now going through and what to do next, given the huge credit you must give to Boris Johnson in bringing the party so far.
“But we must stop drinking the Kool-Aid that’s encouraging us to think this is all going to disappear and that we can all move on.
“We can’t use Ukraine as a fig leaf to dodge those difficult questions. The issue of partygate continues to distract from both domestic and international issues and is just not going away and we’re going to see I’m afraid a steady trickle of letters, resignations as that’s now starting to happen. I predicted that, you listen carefully to the silence of support and it’s clear that more and more MPs privately believe that it’s time the leadership baton is passed on.”
Ellwood also told Radio 4’s Today Programme: “I fear it’s now when, not if, a vote of confidence takes place, as sadly the absence of discipline, of focus, of leadership in Number 10, has led to this breach of trust with the British people and it’s causing long-term damage to the party’s brand.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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