Boris Johnson apologises again as Gray's report found 'failures of leadership'
February 1, 2022, 8:07 am

Boris Johnson

The Euronews reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued another apology on Monday for lockdown gatherings at the heart of the UK government.

It came after senior civil servant Sue Gray's report found "failures of leadership" over the parties in Downing Street. She said "some of the events should not have been allowed to take place" and that "some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify".

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition party, and Ian Blackford, the Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), both renewed their call for Johnson to step down.

"The prime minister himself is now subject to criminal investigation," said Starmer, citing the 12 gatherings the Metropolitan Police are now probing.

Boris Johnson with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Johnson's residence in Downing Stree/Official Facebook page

"The report discloses the most damning conclusion possible," he continued, adding that "the prime minister took us all for fools" and "showed himself unfit for office".

He urged Conservative lawmakers to remove him from office.

Boris Johnson apologises after lockdown parties report

Starmer was speaking after UK PM Johnson had come to the House of Commons to give a statement on Gray's report.

"Firstly, I want to say sorry," said Johnson, before adding he understood the "anger that people feel" and "it isn't enough to say sorry".

He said measures would be announced in the coming days to improve the working of the UK government.

He said: "I get it and I will fix it."

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"I know what the issue is," he added: "It's whether this government can be trusted to deliver and I say 'yes'."

He cited Brexit and the COVID-19 vaccination campaign as proof that his government can deliver.

Source: euronews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.