A SUSSEX MP has called on Boris Johnson to resign amid reports the Prime Minister was pictured holding a beer in a photograph from an alleged gathering at Downing Street.
Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, said the time had come for the Prime Minister to go, and suggested he had not been truthful in his explanations of parties reportedly held in No 10 and across Whitehall during Covid measures.
The former Minister, who is reported to have submitted a no-confidence letter, brings the number of Tory MPs who have now publicly called for Mr Johnson to resign to 15.
Privately, the number is expected to be higher.
Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Gibb that the Conservative Party must face the “hard truths”, and added: “To restore trust, we need to change the Prime Minister.”
It comes as The Mirror reported that the Metropolitan Police had been handed a photograph of Mr Johnson holding a beer at an alleged gathering in June 2020 to mark the Prime Minister’s birthday.
The newspaper said it was one of the 300 photos handed to the Met in their investigation into 12 alleged gatherings that may have broken Covid restrictions.
The photo is reported to have also included Chancellor Rishi Sunak, holding a soft drink.
No 10 said it could not comment while the Met Police’s investigation was ongoing.
The Treasury was contacted for comment, but Mr Sunak has previously said he was in the room for a Covid meeting.
On Friday, the Prime Minister sought to rally Downing Street staff with a line from The Lion King, telling them “change is good” after the departure of a number of aides.
He was hit with a fifth resignation in less than 24 hours when Elena Narozanski, a special adviser in the No 10 policy unit, walked out on Friday.
Mr Gibb said his constituents were “furious about the double standards”.
He said: “The Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Allegra Stratton for joking about a Christmas party that she hadn’t attended, but he won’t take responsibility for those that he did attend.
“I am sorry to say that it is hard to see how it can be the case that the Prime Minister told the truth.”
Other Tory MPs are expected to consider over the weekend whether to write to the chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham in an attempt to force a leadership contest.
In an apparent move to head off further dissent, Mr Johnson has written to Tory MPs promising them a greater role in policymaking with a “direct line” into No 10.
The latest turmoil was triggered by the shock resignation on Thursday of Mr Johnson’s long-standing policy chief Munira Mirza over his refusal to withdraw his accusation that Labour leader Sir Keir failiedto prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said the departures had all been agreed before Ms Mirza tendered her resignation and that they were leaving by mutual consent.
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