Lib Dems Respond to MP’s Statement on Partygate Report

Published on: 27 May, 2022
Updated on: 27 May, 2022

Local Liberal Democrats have branded Angela Richardson’s response to the Sue Gray report “disrespectful” to people across Guildford, Cranleigh and our villages who abided by lockdown rules.

The Sue Gray report included a picture of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak together at a birthday party.

Ms Gray wrote: “…the senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture.”

One of the photographs included in Sue Gray’s report captioned: “19 June 2020; a gathering in the Cabinet Room in No 10 Downing Street on the Prime Minister’s birthday”.

In response, the local Conservative MP said: “I am clear that had that been a report about my leadership, I would resign” but she has refused to say if she has written a letter calling for a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson despite him being found guilty of breaking lockdown laws.

See: ‘Too Little, Too Late’ Says Guildford MP on PM’s Performance After Publication of ‘Partygate’ Report

Zoe Franklin

Zöe Franklin, the prospective Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Guildford said: “Guildford and Cranleigh deserve an MP who will stand up for local people who abide by the law. Instead, it would appear that we have Conservative MPs who think it is one rule for Boris Johnson and another for the rest of us.

“We have waited long enough for the Conservative MP for Guildford to make her views on the future of Boris Johnson known. I disagree that her decision to write to the 1922 committee is a private matter.  No one is asking to see the letter’s content, but people across Guildford, Cranleigh and our villages have the right to know her stance on this.

“The silence in response to questions being raised by constituents is deafening. It is an insult to local people’s sacrifices during the pandemic, and it continues to erode public trust in the government.  First, we had to wait for the Sue Gray report, which was then delayed.  Then we had to wait for the police investigation to be completed.  Well, now we have the conclusions of both.

“It is time for Ms Richardson to decide if she wants to be an MP who puts the best interests of her constituents first or if she will continue to support a prime minister who has broken the laws he imposed on the public he is supposed to serve.”

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