Sir Keir Sterner today said Boris Johnson doesn’t have the “moral authority” to lead his country. This was after he likened the Downing Street Christmas party with the Queen sitting by herself at Prince Philip’s funeral.
Labour leader David Lammy said that the monarch displayed ‘leadership’,’sacrifice’ during the funeral this April.
He asked Johnson at PMQs whether he still believes that it’s possible for him to ask British people to adhere to the rules in light of his party row.
Johnson responded by claiming Sir Keir had played politics through the pandemic.
But Sir Keir labelled the PM’s response ‘desperate and even his own side can see it’.


Today Sir Keir Starmer suggested that Boris Johnson does not have the moral authority to lead the country. He compared Downing Street’s Christmas celebration to Queen Sitting Alone at Prince Philip’s funeral

Labour leader, John McDonnell said the monarch showed ‘leadership and sacrifice’ through his compliance with social distancing rules during the April funeral.
At PMQs’ start, Johnson said that he ordered an investigation into the claims that Downing Street staff had broken lockdown rules when they hosted a Christmas party in violation of Lockdown Rules last year.
The PM said he was ‘furious’ about video footage apparently showing aides joking about the gathering.
He apologized ‘unreservedly” for his offence at the video of Allegra Stratton, then-spokeswoman, during a mock press conference.
However, he maintained that he’d been assured repeatedly that there was no party or that Covid rules were being broken.
Mr Johnson said he has asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case ‘to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible – and it goes without saying that if those rules were broken then there will be disciplinary action for all those involved’.
Sir Keir quizzed Mr Johnson over the row at PMQs, saying that Johnson’must realize the damage he’s done to his credibility in enforcing these rules now and into the future’.
The Labour leader said: ‘This virus isn’t defeated. The British people will face additional tests, where their leaders may require them to make more sacrifices in the interest of the greater good.
‘Her Majesty the Queen sat alone when she marked the passing of the man she had been married to for 73 years.
‘Leadership. Sacrifice. This is what leaders need to have the moral authority and ability to lead.
‘Does the Prime Minister think he has the moral authority to lead and to ask the British people to stick to the rules?’
Mr Johnson replied: ‘Not only that but the Labour Party and the Labour leader in particular have played politics throughout this pandemic.’
Sir Lindsay Hoyle the Commons Speaker had to step in after Labour MPs booed at the PM.
After calm was restored, Mr Johnson continued: ‘If I may say so, throughout this pandemic the leader of the opposition in particular has done nothing but play politics, to try to muddy the waters, to confuse the public and to cause needless confusion about the guidance.
‘The public have not been so confused and they have not been fooled and they have got on with implementing the guidance and they have got on in particular with showing great commitment to the health of this country by going forward to get vaccinated.’
Sir Keir responded: ‘That is so desperate and even his own side can see it.’