Our Democracy in Crisis

Just when it didn’t seem possible that this Government could trash the reputation of politicians any further, along comes “Partygate”, and the shameful spectacle of our Prime Minister and Chancellor being found guilty of breaking their own laws, of repeatedly lying to Parliament, and of attempting to excuse their immoral, cowardly behaviour.

 It is clear that a great many people – politicians (including Cabinet Ministers), advisers, civil servants, and others – knew what was going on, and decided that they have no reason to be accountable to the public, whom they serve, and to whom they owe their careers. 

The entire Government has betrayed

• the British people
• those politicians with integrity, who are not like them
• the almost 190,000 + people (ONS data), who have lost their lives with COVID
• and the millions more, whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic. 

By not accepting genuine responsibility for what they have done, they have shown themselves for what they are: a political class without integrity or humility. The many who voted for them in 2019 have been massively let down. 

All those who have served in this Government should feel ashamed. Parliament should have the opportunity to force them out of office, and allow the people of this country to vote in leaders, who can uphold the principles and conventions of public office.

If not, if we let them get away with all this, our democracy itself is under threat.

It is deeply offensive to use the fact that the Ukrainian people are fighting – and losing their lives – in a war to defend freedom and democracy, as an excuse to cling on to power.