The Prime Minister’s announcement of a new probe into the alleged Number 10 festive gathering failed to assuage anger in many quarters of his party.
Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links, the former Scottish Tory leader, characterised the move as saying “we’ll investigate what we’ve spent a week saying didn’t happen and discipline staff for rules we continue to say weren’t broken”.
She branded the approach “pathetic”, commenting on Twitter that she believed in playing with a “straight bat” and adding: “Believe me, colleagues are furious at this, too.”
Other Tories meanwhile accused the Government of attempting to distract from the escalating row by bringing forward new Covid-19 restrictions.
William Wragg, Conservative chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, declared the measures a “diversionary tactic” that would fail to convince people.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Johnson attempted to hit back against the suggestion, insisting he would not take decisions on Covid-19 passports and working from home “without consulting the Cabinet”.
Lib Dem leaflet in North Shropshire mocks Conservatives
Fears also rose among Tory MPs that disquiet over the alleged Downing Street party was gaining traction in North Shropshire ahead of a by-election in the seat next Thursday.
Reports of the issue being raised unprompted on the doorstep were circulated, as one Conservative warned the debacle may “kill off” the party’s chances of holding the constituency.
The Lib Dems, widely considered the primary challenger, released new leaflets depicting a weeping female pensioner and a grinning Mr Johnson alongside the caption: “This Christmas, tell them [the Conservatives] the party’s over.”
Wider concerns have arisen in Government that the “partygate” debacle will have the same level of “cut through” with the public as the row over former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings’ visit to Barnard Castle in Spring last year. The matter was mocked by comedians Ant and Dec on prime time television on Tuesday evening, in a sign of its entry into the national conversation.
