Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026

Factbox: Scandals faced by British PM Johnson's government

Factbox: Scandals faced by British PM Johnson's government

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces what looked to be the final blow for his premiership as two senior ministers resigned after tried to apologise for his administration's latest scandal.

Below is a list of scandals Johnson has faced:

May 28, 2020 - 'Minor' breach of lockdown by PM adviser

British police say Johnson's senior adviser Dominic Cummings may have breached coronavirus lockdown rules by driving 26 miles to a castle with his wife and son, though they said they would take no further action.

April 28, 2021 - Probe on apartment refurbishment

Britain's electoral commission opens a formal investigation into the financing of the refurbishment of Johnson's Downing Street apartment, citing grounds to suspect an offence may have been committed.

May 10, 2021 - Foreign travel reporting probe

Parliament's standards watchdog investigates Johnson over how he reported his private foreign travel.

Oct. 26, 2021 - Lawmaker guilty of paid lobbying

Conservative lawmaker and former minister Owen Paterson faces a 30-day suspension after parliament's standards committee found he had committed an "egregious case of paid advocacy".

Nov. 3, 2021 - Government changes rules to save lawmaker

Johnson's Conservatives are accused of corruption after they vote to halt Paterson's suspension and force through an overhaul of the process of investigating lawmakers.

Nov. 4, 2021 - U-turn on Paterson

After unhappiness in his own party and newspaper headlines accusing Johnson's administration of sleaze, the government U-turns on the plans and Paterson quits parliament.

Nov. 22, 2021 - Peppa Pig speech

After losing his place during a speech, Johnson regales business leaders with an anecdote about visiting a Peppa Pig children's theme park, prompting some to raise concerns about his leadership.

Nov. 30, 2021 - Lockdown Christmas party report

The Mirror newspaper publishes the first of many media reports about Christmas parties in government departments, including Johnson's Downing Street office, in December 2020, when such gatherings were banned under COVID-19 restrictions.

Dec. 7, 2021 - Video of staff joking about party

Hours after Johnson says he is satisfied no COVID rules were broken, ITV publishes a leaked video showing his staff joking about a Downing Street gathering during a mock news conference.

Dec. 8, 2021 - Johnson apologises, aide resigns

Johnson apologises for the video, saying he is furious. Allegra Stratton, most recently Johnson's COP26 spokeswoman but his press secretary at the time of the footage, resigns.

Dec. 9, 2021 - Conservatives fined over apartment refurbishment

The Conservatives are fined 17,800 pounds ($23,500) by the electoral watchdog for failing to accurately report a donation that helped fund a luxury refurbishment of Johnson's official residence.

Dec. 14, 2021 - Conservative lawmakers rebel

More than 100 Conservatives vote against new coronavirus restrictions, dealing a blow to Johnson's authority.

Dec. 17, 2021 - The Conservatives lose a parliamentary seat

Johnson's Conservatives lose an election to fill Paterson's vacant seat, substantiating fears among some that the party's reputation and electoral prospects are suffering.

Dec. 17, 2021 - Lead investigator steps down

Britain's top civil servant, Simon Case, steps down from leading an investigation into the alleged parties after it emerges an event was held in his own office. Senior civil servant Sue Gray takes over the inquiry.

Dec. 18, 2021 - Brexit minister resigns

Brexit minister David Frost, an architect of Johnson's tumultuous Brexit strategy, resigns, saying he is disillusioned with the government's direction.

Dec. 19, 2021 - Garden party photo published

The Guardian newspaper publishes a photograph of Johnson and more than a dozen others drinking wine in the Downing Street garden that it said was taken during lockdown on May 15, 2020.

Jan. 12, 2022 - PM says he attended lockdown gathering

Johnson says he attended a gathering in the Downing Street garden on May 20, 2020 but believed it to be a work event.

Broadcaster ITV say the senior aide who organised the event signed off an invitation email "bring your own booze".

Jan. 14, 2022 - PM apologises to Buckingham Palace

Johnson's office apologises to Queen Elizabeth after it emerged staff partied in Downing Street on the eve of her husband Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021, when mixing indoors was banned.

Jan. 24, 2022 - Report of Johnson birthday gathering

ITV says up to 30 people attended a June 2020 event at which Johnson was presented with a cake while his wife led staff in singing 'Happy Birthday'. Johnson's office confirm staff gathered briefly after a meeting but dispute it was a party.

Jan. 25, 2022 - Police investigation

Police say they are investigating lockdown events that took place in Downing Street and other government departments after receiving information from Gray's inquiry.

Jan. 31, 2022 - Gray publishes initial findings

Gray publishes a limited report, curtailed by the ongoing police investigation. It condemns some of the behaviour in government as "difficult to justify" and says some of the events should not have taken place. Johnson says sorry.

Jan. 31, 2022 - Jimmy Savile accusation

Johnson falsely accuses opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, of failing to prosecute late sex offender Jimmy Savile.

Feb. 3, 2022 - Johnson clarifies remarks about Savile

Following calls from opponents and some of his Conservatives to withdraw his Savile remarks, Johnson says he wants to clarify them. His head of policy quits, saying the Savile barb was a "scurrilous accusation".

Feb. 7, 2022 - Starmer hounded by protesters

Starmer is confronted by angry protesters, some of whom reference Savile, prompting fresh pressure on Johnson to withdraw his claim.

July 1, 2022 - Conservatives suspend lawmaker

Johnson's Conservatives suspend lawmaker Christopher Pincher, who became embroiled in accusations of sexual misconduct.

July 5, 2022 - Finance and health ministers quit

Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Minister Sajid Javid resign, taking aim at Johnson's ability to run an administration that adheres to standards.

July 5, 2022 - Accusations of lying about minister

A former top Foreign Office official accuses Johnson's office of lying over whether the prime minister knew about sexual misconduct complaints against Pincher.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills at Least Twenty-One and Injures Scores
Meghan Markle May Return to the U.K. This Summer as Security Review Advances
Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat Sparks EU Response and Risks Deep Transatlantic Rift
Prince Harry’s High Court Battle With Daily Mail Publisher Begins in London
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Presents Complex Challenges for the UK Economy
UK Prime Minister Starmer Rebukes Trump’s Greenland Tariff Strategy as Transatlantic Tensions Rise
Prince Harry’s Last Press Case in UK Court Signals Potential Turning Point in Media and Royal Relations
OpenAI to Begin Advertising in ChatGPT in Strategic Shift to New Revenue Model
GDP Growth Remains the Most Telling Barometer of Britain’s Economic Health
Prince William and Kate Middleton Stay Away as Prince Harry Visits London Amid Lingering Rift
Britain Braces for Colder Weather and Snow Risk as Temperatures Set to Plunge
Mass Protests Erupt as UK Nears Decision on China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London
Prince Harry to Return to UK to Testify in High-Profile Media Trial Against Associated Newspapers
Keir Starmer Rejects Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Completely Wrong’
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Prince Harry Returns to UK High Court as Final Privacy Trial Against Daily Mail Publisher Begins
Britain Confronts a Billion-Pound Wind Energy Paradox Amid Grid Constraints
The graduate 'jobpocalypse': Entry-level jobs are not shrinking. They are disappearing.
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
The Return of the Hands: Why the AI Age Is Rewriting the Meaning of “Real Work”
UK PM Kier Scammer Ridicules Tories With "Kamasutra"
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
United Kingdom and Norway Endorse NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Mission Including Greenland
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Planned Sale of Shell and Exxon’s UK Gas Assets to Viaro Energy Collapses Amid Regulatory and Market Hurdles
UK Intensifies Arctic Security Engagement as Trump’s Greenland Rhetoric Fuels Allied Concern
Meghan Markle Could Return to the UK for the First Time in Nearly Four Years If Security Is Secured
Meghan Markle Likely to Return to UK Only if Harry Secures Official Security Cover
UAE Restricts Funding for Emiratis to Study in UK Amid Fears Over Muslim Brotherhood Influence
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks to Safeguard Long-Term Agreement Stability
Starmer’s Push to Rally Support for Action Against Elon Musk’s X Faces Setback as Canada Shuns Ban
UK Free School Meals Expansion Faces Political and Budgetary Delays
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Prince Harry Seeks King Charles’ Support to Open Invictus Games on UK Return
Washington Holds Back as Britain and France Signal Willingness to Deploy Troops in Postwar Ukraine
Elon Musk Accuses UK Government of Suppressing Free Speech as X Faces Potential Ban Over AI-Generated Content
Russia Deploys Hypersonic Missile in Strike on Ukraine
OpenAI and SoftBank Commit One Billion Dollars to Energy and Data Centre Supplier
UK Prime Minister Starmer Reaffirms Support for Danish Sovereignty Over Greenland Amid U.S. Pressure
UK Support Bolsters U.S. Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker Marinera in Atlantic Strike on Sanctions Evasion
The Claim That Maduro’s Capture and Trial Violate International Law Is Either Legally Illiterate—or Deliberately Deceptive
UK Data Watchdog Probes Elon Musk’s X Over AI-Generated Grok Images Amid Surge in Non-Consensual Outputs
Prince Harry to Return to UK for Court Hearing Without Plans to Meet King Charles III
UK Confirms Support for US Seizure of Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
UK and France Pledge Military Hubs Across Ukraine in Post-Ceasefire Security Plan
Prince Harry Poised to Regain UK Security Cover, Clearing Way for Family Visits
UK Junk Food Advertising Ban Faces Major Loophole Allowing Brand-Only Promotions
×