Boris Johnson: Ministers back PM as he faces calls to resign Cabinet ministers have pledged their support for Boris Johnson as he faces calls to resign after he admitted he attended a closed-door drink party.
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| Boris Johnson: Ministers back PM |
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has canceled a visit to Lancashire after a family member tested positive for coronavirus.
Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross and other senior lawmakers urged him to step down.
But cabinet ministers urged MPs to wait for the outcome of the investigation into the alleged breach of the Covid rule at number 10.
House of Commons leader Jacob Rees dismissed Mogg Ross as "lightweight".
Ross wrote to the 1922 Committee, which oversees Tory leadership contests, to say he did not trust the prime minister.
If 54 or more party representatives do so, a vote of confidence can be held in Johnson and, if he loses, a leadership contest. The chair of the 1922 commission, Sir Graham Brady, did not disclose how many letters he had received until it reached the threshold.
Rhys-Mogg suggests that the Covid rules were too harsh
Johnson cancels the visit as a precaution against Covid
Northern Ireland Minister Brandon Lewis told BBC Breakfast he was "absolutely" supportive of Johnson, adding: "You have to let these investigations get to all the details and all the facts."
Secretary of State Liz Truss said she supported the prime minister "100%", while Foreign Minister Rishi Sunak said Johnson would "done well with an apology", adding that he backed his call for "patience" as Officer Sue Gray completes her investigation. .
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said the prime minister had given "very clear information" about what had happened and Health Minister Sajid Javid said "most people agreed" that they should wait for the results of Ms Gray's investigation.
In the House of Commons, Reese-Mogg said a full future investigation into the pandemic would look at whether Covid's restrictions were "proportionate" or "too harsh on people".
"I think everyone understood, from all sides of the house, that people were abiding by the rules, and those rules were very difficult for people to comply with," he added.
A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson's scheduled Thursday visit to the Lancashire vaccination clinic has been canceled and he will follow official instructions, including daily testing and limiting contact with other people.
Downing Street Party Row
Analysis: What was really going on at No 10 during the lockdown?
Laura Koensberg: What next after Johnson's apology after the party?
Reality check: What rules has the Downing Street party broken?
Profile: Party Detective Sue Gray
Timeline: Alleged gatherings by the government to close
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Mr Johnson admitted in the Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday that he joined his colleagues for drinks in Downing Street Park on May 20, 2020 for about 25 minutes, to thank them for their hard work during the pandemic, but "implicitly believed this was the work event".
He apologized for his handling of the event, saying he understood people's "anger".
The gathering, which was described in the invitation as out of society, was attended by about 30 people, who were invited to bring their own alcoholic beverages. Food, including sausage rolls and potato chips, was reportedly placed on stand tables.
