Did you hear the buzz around lately? The UK is in a deep political crisis as its Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned along with more than 50 parliament ministers, including Treasury Chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid. Multiple allegations have been levied against Boris Johnson, who was a part of the Tory government, and in today’s article, we will go through each of those allegations in detail. Read on for the UK political crisis explained in a nutshell.
What happened In UK, Exactly?
On 7 July 2022 (Thursday), the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson resigned from his post, following a rush of resignations from more than 50 of his cabinet members. Johnson also withdrew from his post as leader of the Conservative Party.
While a huge number of MPs resigned, scores of them are in open revolt against the government and its leaders. But why did this happen? What caused such a huge uprising against the Tory government leaders? This article has the UK political crisis explained, so keep reading.
#1 – Partygate Scandal
While Queen Elizabeth II was mourning the death of her dear husband Prince Philip at his funeral in April 2021, Johnson was busy attending government and birthday parties at his Downing Street office. He was fined by the police for flouting health safety norms by partying in the midst of the deadly pandemic COVID.
Reports showed that excessive alcohol consumption charges were pressed on party attendees, while Queen Elizabeth II had to attend her husband’s funeral alone, as indoor gatherings were banned. The party was labelled as an illegal lockdown party, and Johnson faced tremendous backlash for breaking health safety norms while thousands of hundreds couldn’t even see their loved ones due to travel restrictions.
Initially, Johnson denied having any knowledge of such safety norms but later issued a public apology, admitting his mistake and apologising to Queen Elizabeth II. This admission and the revelations of the report sparked public anger, and Conservative lawmakers called for the resignation of Boris Johnson.
Also Read – Prince Philip passes away at the age of 99 after leaving beautiful words for Prince Charles
#2 – No Confidence Motion
June 2022 turned out to be very uneventful for Boris Johnson, with 54 of his own party members submitting letters to Graham Brady, the head of the 1922 Committee, which consists of backbenchers and prominent leaders. Following this, a no-confidence vote was conducted in the UK Parliament on June 6.
Even though Johnson won the no-confidence vote, the magnitude of votes against him and the Tory government overwhelmed him and shook his grip on his power in the government. About 41% of votes were against Johnson, which greatly tarnished his image in the UK.
Also Read – The Controversy Of Kissing Under The Regime Of Boris Johnson
#3 – Chris Pincher Scandal
Boris Johnson was latest hit by allegations about giving a clean chit to lawmaker Chris Pincher, whom Johnson appointed to a senior position despite sexual assault accusations being levied on Pincher.
When the truth came to light, the UK Government denied having any knowledge of the accusations against Pincher prior to his appointment to a senior position in the Tory government. This facade continued until the public unrest had settled, post which a spokesperson of the government claimed that their claims were not completely true, and Johnson was in knowledge of the accusations against Pincher.
This was the last straw, post which Johnson was forced to acknowledge that he knowingly changed his stance on the Chris Pincher scandal. Rishi Sunak, Treasury Chief and Sajid Javid, Health Secretary, two of Johnson’s most senior cabinet members, quit the government after Johnson admitted his two-facedness. Their resignation finally forced Johnson and his cabinet to resign, leading to the crisis the UK is facing today. Boris Johnson resigned on Thursday, 7 July 2022.
Also Read – How Elizabeth Became Queen Of England – The Story Of King George Vi’s Death
Boris Johnson Resigned: UK Political Crisis explained
Boris Johnson, the ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has been under close scrutiny by the opposition, Labour Party and the public for a few years. Increasing motions and scandals revealed against him kept adding to public anger. Piled-up allegations against the Tory government finally ended with the Chris Pincher scandal, ceasing the reign of the Tory government. This was the UK political crisis explained, and all the reasons behind the current unrest in the United Kingdoms.
For more related information, visit Current Affairs – Trending Reader.