Labour leader in Peterborough calls for Boris Johnson to resign - but Conservatives in city defend Prime Minister

The Labour leader on Peterborough City Council has called for Boris Johnson to resign after he was fined for breaching COVID rules - but Conservatives in the city have defended the Prime Minister.

It was confirmed yesterday that Mr Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak both received fines for breaching COVID regulations, following a Met Police investigation into a number of parties held at Downing Street.

The level of the fines has not yet been confirmed.

Today, councillor Shaz Nawaz, leader of the Labour Party in Peterborough, said the pair should resign.

He said: “Both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak seem to be sending a message that it’s OK to break the rules and laws if you are the ones introducing them. This is beyond hypocrisy.

“The entire country obeyed the rules. In doing so, some people’s loved ones died alone, funerals were missed, key birthdays and anniversaries celebrated alone in isolation, weddings cancelled, fathers unable to greet new arrivals at birth, and most importantly, everyone sacrificed their independence and freedom. All while Johnson and company were indulging in parties. They are not above the law.

“People are extremely angry on the doorstep. I’ve never seen so many people so upset, and rightly so. The British people will never forgive Boris Johnson and his colleagues for the double standards.

“Following on from last week’s shenanigans, both Johnson and Sunak, must resign with immediate effect. It’s not too late to do the right things after all that has happened. Leave with a bit of decency while you have a chance. There’s no way they can now continue. The fines are a clear indication that they went a step too far. Our government needs to be credible and trustworthy, and Boris has proven he lacks both those traits. It’s time to go.

“It is an untenable situation. They have no credibility to govern because they have broken the same rules and laws they introduced. Hypocrisy of the highest order.”

However, North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara, who represents the Conservative party said he was backing Boris.

He said; “Boris Johnson has apologised. At this most dangerous time for Europe since the Second World War, he is the right person to lead Britain, both domestically and abroad.

“He has led world leaders in support for Ukraine and continues to do so as Russia threatens ever more aggression.”

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of the city council and chairman of the Peterborough Conservatives Association said he was also supporting the Prime Minister.

He said; “I’m fully supportive of the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak as well. We may have been in a worse position, had we not had Boris Johnson take us out the EU and get the vaccine rolling and save so many people’s lives.

“If they have been given fixed penalty notices for breaching COVID lockdown rules, then they should take their fine and pay it, the same as many thousands of other people have done up and down the country.“The Prime Minister has apologised to the House and said he believed they were at work.

“He’ll pay, and get on with dealing with issues, like Ukraine, the fuel crisis, the cost of living and all the other things that are important to people that I talk to on a day-to-day basis.”