West Dorset MP: Anyone caught lying should resign
West Dorset MP Chris Loder has been responding to the Prime Minister's Downing Street party apology
Last updated 13th Jan 2022
The Conservative MP for West Dorset, has told us that anyone caught lying over alleged parties at Downing Street should resign.
It comes after the Prime Minister today acknowledged and apologised for attending a garden party at Downing Street in May 2020.
But Chris Loder says the apology isn't enough for him, nor many members of the public.
"I've listened to the Prime Minister today in the House of Commons and his apology, but I'm not sure that is enough.
"The thing that really matters to my core is integrity, agree or disagree, the key core integrity of the government and those in the highest elected office is vital and I want to ensure that.
"I should just be crystal clear, that if we find, and I know a lot of people believe this already but I'm not the sort of person who jumps into making conclusions before I've read all of the facts, and I haven't had all of the facts, just a lot of hearsay and a lot of press coverage, but when we have the full facts of the matter and if people, regardless of who they are, have lied about this, then they should resign."
He and the Prime Minister shared words before Christmas where Mr Loder says he told Boris Johnson he expects a Prime Minister who can be respected and trusted.
He says the Prime Minister told him he took his points on board.
Mr Loder says:
"The problem we're faced with now is there have been more difficulties emerge, and that's just not acceptable to me."