Conservative MP William Wragg wants to explain to the Metropolitan Police early next week how colleagues from government employees have been threatened and intimidated with the publication of compromising material in the press, Wragg told the “Telegraph” (Saturday).
He wanted to leave the clarification to experts, said Wragg, who first voiced his allegations on Wednesday. The UK government has said it will investigate the allegations if there is evidence. Wragg is among those MPs from Johnson’s Tory party who are publicly calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation.
The police have not yet been involved in investigating the “Partygate” affair about lockdown parties in Downing Street. Instead, a government official is currently gathering the facts and interviewing those involved and witnesses. The investigation is expected to be completed in the coming week. Depending on the result of the investigation, it cannot be ruled out that the police could then become involved in the investigation themselves.
The chairman of a standards committee in London’s House of Commons, Chris Bryant, told BBC Radio 4 on Saturday that several MPs had told him that they had been threatened with the loss of public funds for their constituencies if they did not support Johnson. That was “illegal,” warned the opposition Labor politician.
According to The Times, Johnson has now tasked a team of confidants with securing support within his party’s ranks in the event of a no-confidence vote. According to reports, he himself wants to telephone the party from his country residence Checkers at the weekend in order to persuade his critics to change their minds.
Source: Nachrichten
