UK MP from Strangford breaks down while questioning Boris Johnson in partygate row

A Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP who was questioning the Boris Johnson government in the partygate row was broke down in tears while questioning the government about fresh revelations on Tuesday. According to the BBC, Jim Shannon, MP for Strangford, started crying for his mother-in-law who had died alone with COVID during the pandemic. While speaking to BBC about his mother-in-law, he said that his mother died on the day the UK ministers were enjoying the booze party. According to him, his mother died with COVID-19 in Antrim Area Hospital on the day of the alleged garden party. He told his mother was on a ventilator and was not able to meet her even during her last moment. He had a video call with his mother which he recounted was not good because of the poor internet connectivity.

Watch the video here:

Notably, with the latest revelation, the hardship of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson seems mounting as the Opposition leaders are now seeking the resignation of Johnson in the "partygate" row. According to a report by news agency Sputnik, Metropolitan Police has confirmed it has contacted the Cabinet Office over a "bring your own booze party" on May 20, 2020, which came to light from a "leaked email". The Opposition MPs are now seeking an honest answer from Johnson in the partygate row and demanded an unconditional apology in the partygate row. According to the allegations levelled against Johnson, the minister and his close aides had organised a booze party during the COVID-19 lockdown. At that time, the government had restricted the people from attending any social gathering and limited the meeting to just two people.

The media report said the Christmas parties were held in Downing Street at the height of the coronavirus lockdown in 2020. It is worth noting Downing Street is a 200-metre long street in the City of Westminster that houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. "These are rules that he himself put in place… If the prime minister himself has not followed that guidance if he was at that party when others were told to remain in their homes and not mix with others, that is simply unacceptable," Sputnik quoted Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross as saying. "And if he has misled parliament, in my view he can't continue," added Ross.

"Johnson is not above the law"

Further, he added that the Prime Minister must confront his mistake and if not-- "he must resign on an immediate basis."
"I believe they broke the law. Most of my constituents followed the laws; those that didn't face punishments. Johnson is not above the law, despite his bloated self-entitlement," Sputnik quoted Labour lawmaker Neil Coyle as saying to journalists. It is worth mentioning that the UK had hit badly during the initial phase of the deadly virus. In June last year, the country faced a highly infectious delta variant and now the new variant of Coronavirus, Omicron has been detected in the country, prompting authorities to invoke stringent restrictions.

Image: Twitter/@REWearmouth/AP