In an intense and chaotic session at the British Parliament, Boris Johnson defended himself over the so-called “partygate” scandal. As Johnson faced brutal grilling during the Prime Minister’s Question (PMQs), a moment when he mocked a fellow member of parliament is widely being criticised online.
Amid the scandal that has threatened his leadership and his Conservative Party, Johnson refused to say if a prime minister should resign for misleading parliament in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
As many MPs took turns to criticise the PM, it was his reaction to Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP at Westminster, that went viral. Blackford took the stand and poked fun at Johnson saying that “Operation Save Big Dog” has quickly become “Operation Dog’s Dinner”.
Blackford accused him of “laughing at the British public” and branded Johnson’s latest reason as “the most pathetic of them all – ‘nobody told me’,” referring to his statement where he said he didn’t break any covid-19 rules.
“Nobody told the Prime Minister he was breaking his own rules, absolutely pathetic. Resign, go, Prime Minister,” Blackford continued, when Johnson was caught on camera making mocking head movements.
Soon, the moment garnered a lot of attention online, where people were not just appalled at Johnson’s action but also stunned as his colleague Priti Patel was also seen giggling.
Looking at his watch, and making these mocking head movements. Boris Johnson’s behaviour while @Ianblackford_MP berates him over #PartyGate and lying to parliament unacceptable pic.twitter.com/510xYEgVe1
— Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) January 19, 2022
“I entirely understand people’s feelings” [People whose loved ones died while he partied] says @BorisJohnson
You don’t even understand what a party is, let alone normal human feelings. You lack empathy and a conscience. Here you were laughing at it moments before#PMQs pic.twitter.com/FOLdVKmbMC
— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) January 19, 2022
Almost more vile is Priti Patel sucking up to the school bully. pic.twitter.com/53AnUwrJKH
— Mr Ethical (@nw_nicholas) January 19, 2022
Yesterday: “I’m heartily, heartily sorry, I take full responsibility”.
Today #PMQs: pic.twitter.com/KZs8epy688
— Elephant (@fant1345) January 19, 2022
What a jokeI have watched it many times and just had to retweet. This guy has no empathy, sympathy and never has to deal with the consequences of anything he does so it seems….#suegrayimpartialreport. 🤦♀️🙄 https://t.co/lhIWNWb7I2
— Martine Bach (@Bachster001) January 19, 2022
He can only behave like he does because he is a supremely confident A hole who knows that he will be alright no matter what happens. Rest of us go hang, he is making plans for himself. https://t.co/9DfTONr2tE
— L3 🌺 (@Lorraineathert4) January 20, 2022
This is NOT what a leader looks like https://t.co/OK3pBVKYQz
— Max Headroom (@outtatime907) January 20, 2022
Watch 👇 where has the contrition gone now, the tears, the shame…he’s a Shan, a fake and a lying weasel #JohnsonOut #ToriesOut https://t.co/gqRuPvX28i
— HH 3.5% #FBPA 💙🇪🇺🇬🇧 (@hartsfleurs) January 19, 2022
Arrogant, defiant, disrespectful and childish https://t.co/soJGXv3WiS
— Dr. Mani DasGupta (@MDG1122) January 19, 2022
Yes,playing sincere/ashamed &apologetic card yesterday but today the mask slips again.
Here’s the real @BorisJohnson on show 4 all to see. Mocking &arrogant as @Ianblackford_MP reminds him of the +150 000 deaths from #COVID19.
He really doesn’t care!
Let the bodies pile high! https://t.co/z5YgA6QRyh
— Connie Tough (@ConnieTough) January 19, 2022
Boris Johnson is openly laughing at all of us in the House of Commons today. He’s not sorry, he’s just sorry he got caught. pic.twitter.com/GcDa8FD2T6
— Derec Thompson (@DerecThompson) January 19, 2022
Conservatives are weighing whether to trigger a no-confidence vote against Johnson amid the public anger over the scandal — a stunning reversal of fortune for the politician who just over two years ago led the Conservatives to their biggest election victory in almost 40 years, Associated Press reported.
David Davis, a senior Conservative and former Brexit secretary, also urged Johnson to resign. “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. In the name of God, go,” he said, The Guardian reported.
Amid growing calls from outside and within own his party for him to resign over repeated revelations of rule-flouting parties held at his residence and office, he dropped UK’s mask mandate.