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This week’s R&D covers British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political problems. Johnson is under fire for hosting gatherings with his staff at No. 10 Downing Street while the rest of Great Britain was locked down under COVID-19 restrictions in spring 2020. The more egregious allegations are that Johnson’s staff partied before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, which had social distance restrictions. Johnson has told the British Parliament that the gatherings were for work and were not social, but the public is skeptical, as are members of the British Conservative Party. Some Conservative MPs are calling on Johnson to resign, noting that opinion polls are showing the Conservative trailing the Labour Party by double digits. Johnson has so far refused and stated earlier in the week that he would fight any no-confidence vote.
Prime minister odds: The favourites to replace Boris Johnson 👀 https://t.co/zFhIT298CL
— The Independent (@Independent) January 19, 2022
🔎 What could a no-confidence vote mean for Boris Johnson?
All the questions you may have, answered 👇 https://t.co/igXeqacQX1
— The Times (@thetimes) January 19, 2022
Vote of no confidence, resignation or survival: what next for Boris Johnson? https://t.co/fTCwVoydvS
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 19, 2022