Ayrshire's MPs and MSPs have called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign in the wake of the Downing Street drinks parties scandal – delivering a humbling 15-0 verdict today.
Mr Johnson is under huge pressure to quit after admitting he attended a gathering in the No 10 garden on May 20, 2020 during the first coronavirus lockdown.
He told MPs in the House of Commons last week that he popped out to thank staff who had been invited to attend by his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, in an email leaked to ITV News, and "take advantage of the lovely weather".
Apologising for what happened, Mr Johnson insists he thought it was a "work event" as he called on people to wait for civil servant Sue Gray to deliver a report on alleged lockdown rule-breaking in the heart of government.
Mr Johnson's pleas were falling on deaf ears as the nation reacted with outrage to the drip, drip of stories appearing to show that multiple parties and gatherings had taken place at various points while Covid restrictions were in place.
One of the parties took place the night before Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh's, funeral where Her Majesty the Queen sat alone, observing social distancing rules.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross believes his position is untenable with a number of high-profile Conservatives demanding that action is taken following what appears astonishing breaches of trust.
The Prime Minister continues to cling on, however, only his resignation will be good enough for our region's national politicians, including Tory representatives, who were unanimous in calling for him to go.
Ayrshire Live contacted those on the constituency and regional lists who represent tens of thousands of people across the region and they insisted it was time for Mr Johnson to go.
Here is what they said...
Alan Brown (SNP MP – Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
"The Prime Minister’s position is simply untenable. When the rest of us made sacrifices, they partied in Downing Street – it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us.
"I have been contacted by constituents sharing their personal experience of not being able to spend time with loved ones and, in some cases, being unable to say goodbye to them due to the restrictions that were in place.
"This is a massive slap in the face to them and it is completely unacceptable."
Siobhian Brown (SNP MSP – Ayr)
"I was upset and angry about the behaviour of the Prime Minister and his contempt for parliament and the public. While people across the UK made sacrifices and said final farewells to their loved ones, Boris Johnson was partying in Downing Street, breaking the rules that he made.
"My own grandmother, Peggy, died in Kilmarnock during this time at the age of 96 and we had to watch her funeral via video link; and my mother had to wish her grandchildren happy birthday through a window. Boris Johnson and his cronies made a mockery of the rules that everyone one of us were following.
"To make matters worse, he lied about it and his Conservative colleagues have stood by him all the way. If the Prime Minister has any decency he will resign."
Katy Clark (Labour MSP – West Scotland)
"The hypocrisy of the Prime Minister is breathtaking. We’ve not only seen several government staff and advisers resign from their posts for breaking the rules, but thousands more people across the UK have received penalties for breaking the rules.
"The public have in huge numbers understood the exceptional circumstances and sought to protect one another by following guidelines.
"A half-hearted apology is simply not good enough from the Prime Minister. I believe his position is untenable and we need a figure independent of the government to lead further inquiries into the various parties that have been alleged or admitted to in recent weeks."
Willie Coffey (SNP MSP – Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley)
"It’s only a matter of time now until Boris Johnson is out the door, delayed only by waiting for the findings of an inquiry that has nothing left to find out.
"He admitted the illegal party took place and he was there. He should have stood the inquiry down and walked. If not, then the men in grey suits and top hats will tap him on the shoulder as they did with Margaret Thatcher and tell him his time is up.
"He and his Tory chums think they are above the law and their Number 10 fortress gives them immunity, allowing them to party while others are suffering. Time to go, the party's over."
Allan Dorans (SNP MP – Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock)
"People in Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock are understandably furious that while they were following the rules, and making huge sacrifices in the fight against Covid, Boris Johnson was breaking them by hosting illegal parties in Downing Street.
"There cannot be one rule for the Tory government and another for the rest of us. The Prime Minister has demonstrated that he is not fit for office.
"If Boris Johnson doesn't have the decency and integrity to resign, his Tory MPs must remove him without further delay."
Sharon Dowey (Conservative MSP – South Scotland)
"It is never an easy thing to come out against colleagues, particularly the Prime Minister, but the call from Douglas Ross is the right one.
"The Prime Minister has led us through this pandemic and took action to save the people and jobs with the furlough scheme and business grants.
"That said, nobody was exempt from those tough rules that were in place to tackle Covid at that time. Those that didn’t follow them should face the consequence. People across Ayrshire made enormous sacrifices and I share their anger at these revelations."
Kenneth Gibson (SNP MSP – Cunninghame North)
“Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has a long history of arrogance and deception, so it’s no surprise that this Prime Minister also thought his own Covid laws only applied to ‘ordinary people’ and not to himself and his staff, as he attended boozy lockdown parties in Downing Street.
"He must now resign, following his betrayal of all those unable to see their loved ones at the end of their lives.
"In attempting – desperately – to defend him, UK Tory ministers airily dismissed their own Tory branch office in Scotland as a bunch of 'lightweights' and non-entities. The Tories have once again revealed their disdain for Scotland and our people."
Patricia Gibson (SNP MP – North Ayrshire & Arran)
"There cannot and must not be “one rule for them” way of doing things. That is completely unacceptable. The public is very angry and with every reason to be so.
"There have been widespread calls for the resignation of Mr Johnson even from within his own ranks. The party is over for the Prime Minister. He should resign.
"The insulting way in which the leader of the Tories in Scotland has been rudely dismissed by senior Tory cabinet ministers, after he criticised Mr Johnson, illustrates how Scotland is viewed in Westminster but is, sadly, not surprising."
Jamie Greene (Conservative MSP – West Scotland)
"The Covid rules are, and always have been, there for everyone to follow. The success to dealing with this horrid pandemic is by leading by example and through a collective effort, whether you're in Number 10 or North Ayrshire.
"Whilst the timing and source of recent revelations rightly raises eyebrows, public trust is vital and when that is lost sadly there are consequences.
"Calls for the PM to go are words I suspect few rejoice over, but they are principled if nothing else, because if politicians don’t fly the standard, who will?"
Ruth Maguire (SNP MSP – Cunninghame South)
Posting on her Twitter page, she said: "This dishonourable, unaccountable, entitled culture isn’t just down to one man.
"It’s reflective of the whole Westminster system.
"Boris Johnson should resign. He’s unfit for public office but replacing one Tory PM with another is not the answer for Scotland."
Carol Mochan (Labour MSP – South Scotland)
"Let’s face it, Boris Johnson lied and he should resign. You cannot lead the country and introduce laws that have seen people fined and prosecuted whilst you are ignoring them.
"If the Tories do not get rid of him they cannot credibly say they stand up for the best interests of the country or the union.
"This is a pivotal moment and the people of this country expect action, this cannot be allowed to stand."
Colin Smyth (Labour MSP – South Scotland)
"Boris Johnson’s actions show that he thinks he’s above the law and there is one rule for him and one for ordinary families.
"I have spoken with families who didn’t get to see loved ones in care homes before they died or weren’t able to attend the funeral of family members, while Tory politicians were partying and showing utter contempt for everyone else.
"If Boris Johnson had one shred of decency he would have resigned by now. This whole sorry saga simply highlights just how out of touch the Tory government is with ordinary people."
Philippa Whitford (SNP MP – Central Ayrshire)
"Given the strength of public feeling on this issue, I cannot see how the Prime Minister can continue in office.
The anguish caused to the many families who were unable to see their loved ones in their last days and, in some cases, couldn’t even attend their funerals, is now being compounded by hurt and anger from discovering the PM was breaking the very rules they were adhering to.
"His behaviour is not only unbecoming of the office of Prime Minster, it is a distraction from real issues of the Omicron crisis and ongoing shambles of Brexit, and he needs to go now so that his transgressions are no longer the focus of the day."
Elena Whitham (SNP MSP – Cumnock, Carrick & Doon Valley)
"The Prime Minister’s position is untenable and he needs to resign now.
"Every day we are hearing of more and more breaches of regulations within Downing Street, and other UK Government departments, at a time when we were all being asked to make sacrifices in order to limit transmission of the virus and keep our loved ones safe.
"The newest revelations that Downing Street held boozy parties with DJs in attendance the night before we all saw those pictures of the Queen last April as she sat alone at a socially-distanced funeral for her husband of 74 years will be hard to stomach, even for the most ardent of republicans."
Brian Whittle (Conservative MSP – South Scotland)
"Given the Prime Minister’s admission that he attended this event in the Downing Street gardens, it’s clear to me that he has broken the rules he was asking us all to follow.
"This isn’t a question of politicians being held to a higher standard, it’s about them sticking to the same rules as everyone else and ensuring those who work for them do the same.
"Boris Johnson has failed to do that. He has admitted he did the wrong thing, now he needs to do the right thing and resign."
Compiled by: Paul Behan, Toni Lennox, Colin Paterson and Ryan Thom.
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