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Watch: Rhondda MP rips into Prime Minister after apology – ‘How stupid does he think that British people are?’

12 Jan 2022 3 minute read
Chris Bryant in the House of Commons

The MP for Rhondda, Chris Bryant, has ripped into the Prime Minister following his apology in the House of Commons, accusing him of treating voters like fools.

Boris Johnson is facing calls to quit after attending a ‘bring your own booze’ party at No 10 Downing Street during the first coronavirus lockdown, when the public was banned from household mixing.

The Prime Minister said that he had thought the party was a work event and that it “technically” fell within the guidance.

But Labour MP Chris Bryant argued that the Prime Minister was essentially arguing that he didn’t know he was at a social event.

“So, the prime minister didn’t spot that he was at a social event. That’s the excuse isn’t it? Come off it,” he said.

“I mean, how stupid does the prime minister think the British people are?” he said.

“The worst of it is he’s already managed to completely destroy Allegra Stratton’s career, he’s tarnished the reputation of Lord Geidt, and now he’s making fools of every single MP who cheered him earlier, every single one who goes out on the radio and television to defend this shower of shenanigans.

“Would it not be absolutely despicable if, in the search for a scapegoat, some junior member of staff ends up losing their job, but he kept his?”

Boris Johnson said that he was “as grateful as ever” to Chris Bryant for his question, noting that he was a “former member of the Conservative party as I understand it”.

“I don’t agree with his party political advice. I’ve come to this house to make amends, to explain what happened on May 20th and to apologise.

“But Mr. Speaker I really think with all humility that I must ask him to wait for the result of the inquiry where he will have abundant opportunity to question me and to make his party political points again.

“But until then Mr. Speaker I am going to ignore his advice.”

Boris Johnson had earlier claimed that he had been at the Downing Street party on 20 May, 2020 for about 25 minutes, so that he could “thank groups of staff” for their hard work.

He said: “I believed implicitly that this was a work event.”

But he added: “With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside.

“I should have found some other way to thank them, and I should have recognised that – even if it could have been said technically to fall within the guidance – there would be millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way.”


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julian p jones
julian p jones
2 years ago

what other place of work allows the consumption of alcohol at their work place its certainly not allowed in industry

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago
Reply to  julian p jones

Surely the key word in the email is “After”? “After what has been an incredibly busy period … […] … bring your own booze!” This is no works gathering. It’s AFTER a period of time, seemingly when the staffers, “[have] been [through] an incredibly busy period” [sic.] Why has no one called this out? And who is the “we”, here? Royal pronoun used by “Martin Reynolds” or is the intention used to cover himself, his boss (Johnson) and the last named’s spouse (Carrie)? Hate to tell us you this, Prime Minister. But not only are you out of road (pace… Read more »

j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago
Reply to  Welsh_Siôn

BJ probably won’t go, and neither will all the other cheats.

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago
Reply to  j humphrys

Let’s hope so – on Scottish indy sites and in other places you’ll see a lot of comment that he’s such a useful character in boosting the pro-independence figures. Further, he may well be putched after the local elections in the Spring – a useful scapegoat for the Tories, north, south and east/west of the border. (Outside Hartless and R2D2, but even them, being Tories, I wouldn’t put it past them to do a volte face and join the rest of them and sticking the knife in … “for they are all honorable men”, are they not?) One would hope… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Welsh_Siôn
GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

British people? Doesn’t he mean English seeing as everyone elses leaders didn’t break their own laws?

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

There was a brief stooshie when those two-faced opportunists the Scottish (in Name Only) Tories aka SNOT and DRoss called out Nicola Sturgeon for forgetting to wear a mask for, at most, a minute in if I remember rightly, an old folks’ home. The clamour for Nicola to resign led by DRoss and his contemptibles (aided and abetted by the MSM and BBC Scotland) was deafening. She had the good grace to apologise in Parliament and admit to having forgot to put her face mask back on again after she had been distracted. That’s what I call sincereity, humility and… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Welsh_Siôn
James W. Soares Jones
2 years ago

Silly Sais, thinking that this explanation would wash.

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago

He added: “With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside.” _________ I’m no fan of Starmer, but who is Captain Hindsight now? _________ Isn’t the usual way of thanking staff now to send them end-of-year emails thanking them for their contributions during the past year and hoping for future successful collaboration in the forthcoming year? That’s what I receive on a regular basis in early December from the translation agencies (both at home and abroad) that I work with. Even if there is to be a personal get together of staff and bosses to wish each other well at… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Welsh_Siôn
R W
R W
2 years ago

Bryant is just thrilled that there is someone in parliament that is even more horrible than he is. Good to see the Unionists at each other’s throats!!

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

Yes, Johnson does take us for fools and sadly there will be those that believe him. The guy could say he was just popping in for an eye test and people would still believe him…..

Last edited 2 years ago by Steve Duggan
Llywelyn ein Llyw Nesaf
Llywelyn ein Llyw Nesaf
2 years ago

How stupid? Well the good folks of Rhondda keep voting for Bryant…

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

To be honest. Although I agree with Chris Bryant’s sentiment detest the man himself.

He’s as much a hypocrite as Boris Johnson is when it come to Wales. Namely abstaining on numerous devolution votes that could have meant our Senedd having control of our Policing & Criminal Justice System, oh but he did turned up and vote for Greater Manchester to have the devolution of policing. Speaks volumes.

Like most Wales Westminster Labour & Conservative MPs put England first, Wales last. I advise all to look up Chris Bryant’s voting record regarding devolution. An eye-opener.

Gaynor Jones
Gaynor Jones
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Along with the rest of Wales’ Labour MPs, shocking.

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