LONDON (Al Jazeera) – Calls are growing for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign after more revelations came to light about regular parties organized at Downing Street that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules, with Labour party leader Keir Starmer saying Johnson was “unable to lead”.
The report in the British newspaper caps a torrid week of revelations about lockdown breaches in Downing Street that saw Johnson’s office forced on Friday to apologize to Queen Elizabeth II.
On Wednesday Johnson apologized to parliament for attending what he called a “work event”, at a time when social mixing was banned.
The drip feed threatens to overshadow reported plans by Johnson to relaunch his embattled premiership, starting with a relaxation of continuing pandemic restrictions later in the month.
Whether Johnson and his staff knowingly broke the law during prior lockdowns is the central question being addressed in an inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray, who could report back next week.
Gray is said to have been “completely blindsided” by the latest revelations, the Times newspaper reported.
However, Johnson has come up with a list of cabinet officials to submit resignations over the partygate scandal in a bid to retain his premiership, according to a report by The Independent.
Dubbed “Operation Save Big Dog” by Johnson himself, the blueprint includes a drive to work out which heads should roll following the publication of senior official Sue Gray’s findings, as well as highlighting the prime minister’s achievements, sources told the daily.
Johnson’s Chief of Staff Dan Rosenfield and his private secretary, Martin Reynolds, are thought to be among potential candidates for resignations.
“While putting names to the plan is a matter of hot debate, a more broadly accepted idea is that at least one senior political appointee and a senior official must be seen to leave Downing Street over the affair, as both groups share blame,” the daily said.
A former Tory cabinet minister further told The Independent that although they supported Johnson, they believed a “root and branch” overhaul of No. 10 and parts of the Cabinet Office would prove essential to move on from Partygate, explaining that it would be a “bare minimum to translate contrition into action.”
The “save big dog” scheme also includes a communications “grid” in the lead up to the investigation’s conclusion and beyond, the report added, noting that it comprises lines for supportive ministers to take in press interviews, highlighting a repentant prime minister and boasting his achievements amid the difficult choices posed by the pandemic.
The operation further includes echoing support among backbenchers for possible leadership rivals --including chancellor Rishi Sunak, foreign secretary Liz Truss and even former health secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt, however, is unlikely to command enough support to win the leadership, the report noted, though No. 10 aides believe he could play an important role in any leadership contest.