County Durham Labour is calling on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to resign.

The move comes following fresh allegations and images showing the PM partying during UK lockdown, having only weeks ago told Parliament that he did not do so and comes just weeks after Johnson and Rishi Sunak were fined for Covid-breaking parties at Downing Street.

Cllr Carl Marshall and Cllr Rob Crute, Leader and Deputy Leader of County Durham Labour Group, said Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak should “break the habit of a lifetime and do the decent thing” and resign from their posts.

County Durham Labour said all rule-breaking at Downing Street is an insult to County Durham people who adhered to lockdown protocols forbidding gatherings, adding “How can the nation put any faith or trust in a PM and party that not only broke their own rules, but then repeatedly lied about it”.

Cllr Marshall said:

“Boris Johnson, the first sitting Prime Minister in history to have broken the law, is a liar and a criminal. What he and others have been caught doing – let’s not forget the lies as the PM tried to squirm off the hook – is unforgivable. They must go.

“The Prime Minister is a criminal in office. Some won’t accept that, but we have a PM who no longer has the authority to ask people to obey the law. He now must break the habit of a lifetime and do the decent thing – resign. “The UK is governed by proven liars and lawbreakers – how far must they drag us down before enough is enough?”

Cllr Crute said:

Rob Crute“So many of our residents gave up so much to protect the NHS, themselves and their family and communities. Heartbreakingly, many died alone as the pandemic tore through this country while the government dithered about lockdowns, test and trace and mask mandates.

“Now, we get confirmation and photographs showing the senior tier of Government partied as we locked down, boozing as we watched loved ones fade away via Zoom and Teams links. Where do we stand when our lawmakers become lawbreakers?

“How can the nation put faith or trust in a PM and party that not only broke their own rules, but repeatedly lied about it? They have to go and have to go now.”

The Prime Minister, Chancellor and the PM’s wife Carrie Johnson were all fined by the police for breaking lockdown laws, after received notification from the Met Police that they would be given fixed penalty notices. The force has been investigating a string of gatherings in Whitehall and Downing Street.

Boris Johnson and wife Carrie did not receive fines following the latest Met Police investigations, however, photographs yesterday emerged of Johnson raising a toast at an event he claimed, in Parliament, was not a party.

Letter to PM (.docx)