“Partygate”- Pippa’s open letter to Anthony Browne MP

In today’s Cambridge Independent, Pippa Heylings, the Liberal Democrat prospective Parliamentary candidate for South Cambridgeshire, has written the following open letter to the constituency’s Conservative MP Anthony Browne urging him to express no confidence in the Prime Minister:

Dear Anthony Browne MP The Queen sitting alone mourning the loss of her husband was a defining image of lockdown. In stark contrast there were illegal parties at Number 10 the night before. In South Cambridgeshire, residents have told me they have written to you about Downing Street Parties. They are disheartened that you are following Boris Johnson’s line, saying the public should “await the outcome” of the Sue Gray investigation.

The Prime Minister has a track record of ignoring all reports of wrongdoing. He defended Dominic Cummings when he broke lockdown rules. He defended Priti Patel when she was found guilty of breaking ministerial code. And when former MP for North Shropshire, Owen Patterson, was found guilty of breaking lobbying rules, the Prime Minister didn’t just defend him, he stepped in and tried to rewrite them.

Boris Johnson remaining in office seriously undermines Parliament’s ability to navigate us out of pandemic and deal with future crises in a way the public can trust. I urge you to listen to your residents and to write to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, expressing your lack of confidence in Boris Johnson. With best wishes, Pippa Heylings.