As the UK prepares to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 70th anniversary on the British throne this week, media reports say that Prime Minister Boris Johnnson is set to announce the return of imperial measurements to mark the occasion, which many believe is a stunt to distract from a series of scandals that have dogged Downing Street, amid resignations within the ruling Conservative Party and calls for him to step down.
At the weekend, a Conservative MP submitted a letter of no confidence in Prime Minister Johnson, while another quit his role as assistant to Britain's interior minister, putting new pressure on the prime minister over illegal parties at his Downing Street residence during Covid-19 lockdowns.
According to Bob Neill, who chairs of parliament's justice committee, an official report on the parties unveiled on Wednesday, showed a pattern of "unacceptable behaviour" over months during Britain's coronavirus crisis, adding he did not find Johnson's explanations to be credible.
"To rebuild that trust and move on," Neill said in a statement "a change in leadership is required."
Following the report, Johnson admitted responsibility for the events but refused to quit.
Another MP Paul Holmes, resigned from his role as parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office to focus on representing his constituents, saying the events have created a "deep mistrust in both the government and the Conservative Party" adding the administration has been "tarnished by the toxic culture that seemed to have permeated Number 10.".
Other Conservative lawmakers this week have said they had submitted letters calling for a confidence vote in Johnson to the chairman of the party's 1922 Committee - which would be triggered if 54 such letters are written.
What law actually says on Imperial measurements - what will Boris Johnson really change?https://t.co/UEU3wt2nIj pic.twitter.com/2q5MWHHhJX
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) May 29, 2022
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Imperial distraction from "partygate" knees-up
Following the resignations, UK media reported at the weekend that Boris Johnson intends to announce the return of the imperial sytem of measurements in Britain to pay tribute to the Queen, who celebrates her platinum jubilee - 70 years on the British throne - this Thurday.
The proposed move, however, has raised eyebrows, with sceptics believing it to be an attempt to consolidate support among Brexiteers amid fears the so-called "partygate" scandal will lose the Conservatives battleground seats.
The long-awaited "partygate" report compiled by senior civil servant Sue Gray, included photographs of Johnson toasting staff with wine and described revelling that sometimes stretched into the early hours to music from a karaoke machine.
"Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen," Gray wrote, revealing that Downing Street security and cleaning staff were mocked when they tried to protest at the staff conduct.
Britons already use a combination of imperial and metric measurements, but since an EU directive was introduced in 2000 requiring metric units as the legal standard for any sales by weight, Europsceptics latched onto the regualtion as an example of Brussels' interference in the British way of life.
