Coningsby woman who lost parents to Covid speaks out about "partygate"
Lisa Harding couldn't attend her parents' funerals due to lockdown rules
Last updated 23rd Mar 2023
Yesterday Boris Johnson faced a group of MPs who questioned him about whether he deliberately lied over lockdown parties to Parliament.
He denies that saying he made the statements in "good faith".
He told them there wasn't a shred of evidence he knowingly lied.
During the grilling, he spoke of 'imperfect' social distancing at Downing Street, and stressed that a colleague's leaving do during lockdown was necessary for work.
He said he had 'repeated assurances' no Covid rules were broken during another event in December 2021.
The Committee will now discuss his evidence and give their verdict in a few weeks.
I tried to do the right thing - they were having parties - it's appalling
We spoke to Lisa Harding from Coningsby about the "Partygate" issue.
She lost both her parents to Covid during lockdown and couldn't attend either of their funerals in person.
She says: "I had to watch both of my parents' coffins on my laptop in my bedroom in Coningsby and on the same day I had my first Covid jab."
"They missed theirs by two days."
"It made me very angry, I tried to do the right thing, meanwhile they're having parties and toasting how wonderful they are with red wine - it's appalling."
I take it as a slap in the face
"It just smacks of an absolute arrogance that seems to be endemic amongst all our political leaders, not just one party but the lot of them."
"Do as I say not do as I do and I find that offensive when you consider the sacrifices."
"I'm one person out of thousands who lost relatives, so there are a lot of angry people out there."
"I take it as a real kind of slap in the face."
"I acted in good faith by not going to my parents double funeral when I lost both of them to Covid in 2021."
"That came with big consequences."
"I did the right thing - he set the rules."
"It just doesn't wash with me."