People Can't Believe Ministers Are Still Trying To Sweep Partygate Under The Carpet

"We haven't forgotten. We haven't moved on."
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Hart were dismissive over Partygate on Monday
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Hart were dismissive over Partygate on Monday
Twitter/LBC/Sky

Ministers dismissed any new questions about partygate on Monday by claiming “the world has moved on” from the scandal – but Twitter disagrees.

Only last week, the Metropolitan Police issued 20 fixed penalty notices for people linked to partygate, yet two members of Boris Johnson’s cabinet have repeatedly rejected any press queries about what this might mean for his time in office.

On Monday, Welsh secretary Simon Hart told Sky, “the world has moved on” away from the string of gathering held in Downing Street throughout the pandemic.

Speaking after The Telegraph revealed No.10′s former ethics chief Helen MacNamara was fined over having a karaoke party in lockdown, Hart said: ”The PM has on numerous occasions come out and said how bitterly he regrets the circumstances which led up to the events.”

The cabinet minister also maintained that Johnson should not resign.

“The idea that it might be appropriate to have a six-week self-indulgent leadership contest, frankly I don’t think that’s very sensible either.”

He added that the “world has moved on by some considerable distance” and that people should not be “automatically sacked” over partygate.

Shortly afterwards, Jacob Rees-Mogg refused to apologise for previously describing partygate outrage as “fluff”.

Rees-Mogg tried to deflect from the scandal by pointing to the other main news of the day, including the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis during an appearance on LBC.

The cabinet minister also claimed the Covid rules, which were put in place by the government, were “inhuman”, although No.10′s spokesperson later refused to endorse this comment.

The Brexit opportunities minister resolutely defended Johnson too, and said the prime minister was only telling Parliament what he had heard – that no Covid rules had been broken in Downing Street – and therefore did not intentionally misled Parliament with such a claim.

Neither of these public appearances have gone down very well with the government’s Twitter critics.

Here’s how people responded to Hart’s comments:

The use of the phrase "the world has moved on" is so spiteful, telling everyone who abided by the rules Number 10 broke & everyone who lost a relative or friend they couldn't visit their justified anger is petty & of no concern https://t.co/67pXTzbzhn

— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) April 4, 2022

The world has moved on. As have 160,000 people, often without a proper funeral. https://t.co/4Gmq6fbugC

— THE SECRET TORY 🗽 (@secrettory12) April 4, 2022

Those of us who couldn't say our final goodbyes to loved ones.

Those of us who couldn't go to their funerals.

Those of us who couldn't hold their hands as they passed.

We haven't forgotten. We haven't moved on. https://t.co/uURa4YCpqz

— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) April 4, 2022

I'm sure members of #excludeduk - who actually obeyed the rules - would love to move on. But they can't because they are still suffering the economic consequences of being denied meaningful support. https://t.co/tqLpiG5hAZ

— Greg Wright (@gregwrightYP) April 4, 2022

If you ever want to behold an example of entitled patronising gaslighting, here it is. We broke the law, now all of you can forget it thanks.

Despicable. Every last one of them who broke the law should be sacked. https://t.co/wcVpCRqJ8x

— Emma Kennedy💙 (@EmmaKennedy) April 4, 2022

The emails I get from constituents suggest they haven’t and they won’t until the PM actually takes responsibility for this https://t.co/PpReYBo2aR

— Justin Madders MP (@justinmadders) April 4, 2022

Wow. He means they wish we would move on. And brush it under the carpet. Nope. https://t.co/TrgRTaU1uz

— Anna Turley 🌹💙🇺🇦 (@annaturley) April 4, 2022

The gaslighting. The overwhelming privilege.
Urggghh https://t.co/Mx80yHcSx8

— 🩴 Annie Parker 🩴 #AussieAussieAussie! (@annie_parker) April 4, 2022

He’s got this so, so wrong https://t.co/yPUnk4TDgO

— Jo Stevens (@JoStevensLabour) April 4, 2022

The state of this 👇 they think they can ride this out after laughing at us all even as the queen mourned; until the next scandal. https://t.co/l2bjNdJzgR

— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) April 4, 2022

And here’s what people have said about Rees-Mogg’s appearance:

Jacob Rees Mogg has just been explaining that it was perfectly reasonable for me to break our own lockdown rules because they were “inhuman”.#PartyGate

— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) April 4, 2022

wow so the defence is that the PM was told there were no parties (despite attending some of them) and that's why he had no idea what was going on in his own house.

so embarrassing. https://t.co/lZyNA9rPMZ

— Tim Copeland (@Timccopeland) April 4, 2022

This is believable up to the point you remember Boris went to six of the parties https://t.co/twQxnZlKjG

— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) April 4, 2022

Meanwhile, some people have just been enraged at the government’s entire approach:

Undermining rule of law and operating as tho rules don’t apply to those who make them has been a big part of PutinOrbanModiBolsonaroTrumpErdoganDuterteChavez autocrat playbook. Johnson is playing same game. Prorogation of Parliament. NI Protocol. Partygate. This is not trivial

— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) April 4, 2022

Is anyone else sick to the back teeth of being told 'we've moved on from #PartyGate'
We haven't , we're not going to.
You mocked us as we buried our dead. You will be held to account.#NotMovingOn #PartyGate#ToryCriminalsUnfitToGovern

— Con O'Neill (@cononeilluk) April 4, 2022
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