The British Metropolitan Police denied that it had requested a delay in publishing the results of a report prepared by civil servant Sur Gray on the parties held at the residence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the violations that accompanied the rules of the general closure due to the Corona virus, an issue that could afflict Johnson’s political future.
The police said – in a statement – that they are in constant contact with Johnson’s office, 57, to avoid any prejudice to the investigation into the alleged violations when the investigation is published, which some describe as “decisive” for the fate of the Prime Minister.
Earlier, the British police opened a criminal investigation into the parties that took place in the garden of the government headquarters in “Downing Street”, and in the home of the Prime Minister, in his presence with other officials, in violation of the rules approved by themselves.
These parties were on the occasion of the end of the service of employees or the birthdays of people from the circles of power, and they shocked the British, who were repeatedly subjected to strict restrictions due to the outbreak of the Corona virus.
The report of the civil servant was expected to be issued last Wednesday, at the latest, by the end of this week, but it is now estimated that it may be published next Tuesday.
The British police requested that the publication of the report not affect the criminal investigation it is carrying out, which is supposed to result in the imposition of financial fines for violators of the general closure rules.
Johnson’s future
The report is expected to be delivered first to the British Prime Minister before being referred to Parliament for discussion.
Johnson has pledged to publish the full civil servant’s report, which is demanded by the Labor opposition.
The British Minister of Technology, Chris Philip, considered that the Sur Gray report is independent, and that publishing its results is a matter for the author of the report, calling to wait for its publication and not to delve into speculation.
This comes at a time when a group of ruling Conservative Party MPs are preparing to vote no confidence in party leader Boris Johnson after the report was published. Johnson has so far escaped a vote of no confidence, which can be held at the request of 54 of the 359 Conservative MPs.
Last Wednesday, Johnson rejected calls to resign from the Labor opposition, as well as from some of his party’s deputies, and called to wait for the report, and later said – during his visit to Wales – that he was not seeking at all to find a way out.
It was reported that Johnson was communicating with deputies from his party to support him, and that these MPs demanded in return that he back down from raising the social tax.
In addition to the party issue, Johnson is facing accusations of lying, and opinion polls have shown a decline in his popularity.
The report would lead to a race within the Conservative Party starting next week, after which the new head of the party would automatically become prime minister.
Some within the Conservative camp have hinted at an early general election if a new prime minister is appointed, at a time when the Labor opposition is comfortably ahead in opinion polls over the Conservative Party.