County Durham residents call on Prime Minister to step down

Allegations of further breaking of lockdown protocols came to light at the start of the week, after reports circulated that a party organised in government had been staged with 100 people invited, including Mr Johnson, while members of the public were told to follow strict Covid-19 guidelines.

Following the new information, members of the opposition, angered members of the public and even some in his own party have called on the Prime Minister to resign from his position – calling it “untenable” for Mr Johnson to stay in his role.

Read more: Johnson faces Tory anger over latest No 10 drinks party allegations

The Northern Echo have this morning (January 12) visited the County Durham town of Newton Aycliffe to gauge reaction from members of the community about how they feel about Mr Johnson attending a party while residents were stuck in lockdown and some losing their loved ones.

In Newton Aycliffe, everyone that was asked in the town centre unanimously agreed that the Prime Minister should step down from leadership, with some branding him a “liar and “crook” after committing what some have described this morning as “an unforgivable act”.

Garry Rollo, who is from Newton Aycliffe, believes that Mr Johnson should be “kicked out” of Number Ten – but thinks that the Prime Minister will “weasel his way out” of the allegations made against him.

Garry Rollo believes Boris Johnson should be "kicked out" his role as Prime Minister.

Mr Rollo told The Northern Echo: “How can anyone think that he cares about the people of the North East or the country? It’s one rule for them and one rule for us.

“It’s disgusting what he’s put people through – he’s laughing at the fact that people were in lockdown, had lost family members and he doesn’t care one bit.

“I’m sure he’ll have an answer for it – he’ll weasel his way out of it somehow. But just remember this – while people died on his watch, he partied with his mates.”

Neil Morgan branded Mr Johnson "a crook" and believes that the Prime Minister should step down.

Another resident that The Northern Echo spoke to, Neil Morgan, had the same opinions – suggesting that Mr Johnson should have been forced to resign before now.

Mr Morgan said: “Boris Johnson is a total crook; he gets away with it every single time and sees no punishment. If others out in society had done what he had, they’d have stepped down already or they’d be in prison because some of what he’s doing is criminal.

“It’s hypocrisy at its finest – they do one thing and ask us to do another.”

Maureen Starr previously defended the Prime Minister but says "his time is up" after the most recent allegations.

Despite the overwhelming feeling of what people in Newton Aycliffe want to see from their country’s leader, resident Maureen Starr admitted that she previously defended the Prime Minister for having a “high pressure position” earlier in the pandemic but feels that Mr Johnson “can’t carry on”.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, she said: “I’ve forgiven a lot from him previously in the pandemic – I feel like he had a tough job to do, and no one knew how to handle the Covid-19 rates, but it’s got to the point where it’s now a joke and it’s unforgivable from him. To follow different rules than others isn’t a great thing to do.”

Finally, Teri Driver believes that Mr Johnson is setting a “double standard” if he doesn’t resign from his position.

Teri Drive called Boris Johnson's party a "double standard" after the recent allegations against the Prime Minister.

She said: “If it’s found that he attended the party while people were locked away and in lockdown, it’s a double standard and it’s something that people should be outraged about.”

After visiting Newton Aycliffe, news emerged from Prime Minister’s Questions that Mr Johnson wouldn’t be stepping down – but he did apologise for not stopping the party back in May 2020.

Sir Keir Starmer asked the Prime Minister if he is now “going to do the decent thing and resign”.

Labour leader, Keir Starmer, has called on the Prime Minister to resign, but Boris Johnson has refused to stepped down, despite apologising to the British public.

The Labour leader said: “There we have it. After months of deceit and deception, the pathetic spectacle of a man who has run out of road. His defence … that he didn’t realise he was at a party is so ridiculous that it’s offensive to the British public.

“He’s finally been forced to admit what everyone knew, that when the whole country was locked down, he was hosting boozy parties in Downing Street. Is he now going to do the decent thing and resign?”

However, the Prime Minister responded: ““I appreciate the point that he’s making about the event that I attended. I want to repeat that I thought it was a work event and I regret very much that we did not do things differently that evening.

“I take responsibility and I apologise. But as for his political point, I don’t think that he should pre-empt the outcome of the inquiry. He will have a further opportunity, I hope, to question me as soon as possible.”

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