When the ‘partygate’ scandal broke earlier this year, the Tunbridge Wells MP had declined to comment on the allegations, telling the Times that while he understood ‘the anger that people feel about the revelations about what happened in Downing Street in 2020’ he wanted to wait until ‘all the information is known’ before commenting.
Despite the PM admitting breaching his own Covid rules and paying a fine to the Met Police last week, Mr Clark has still declined to comment on the scandal.
He told the Times yesterday: “I have said from the outset I will consider my views on the events at Downing Street and the conduct of the Prime Minister once all of the information is known – including the end of the police investigation and publication of the Gray report.
“At that point I will set out to constituents the conclusions I have reached comprehensively.”
His words come after the prime minister, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak paid £50 each for attending a birthday party for Mr Johnson in June 2020 when the rest of the country was banned from gatherings, including funerals.
Following the revelations, more than 80 Conservative MPs have expressed their support for Mr Johnson and said he should keep his job, despite widespread anger across the country over the double standards of ministers not abiding by their own rules.
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis yesterday (Tuesday) compared the offence to a speeding fine.
But around 280 Tory MPs have refused to publicly back the PM.
Conservatives in Tunbridge Wells had voiced their ‘disgust’ at the allegations, when the story broke earlier this year.
It led to former Tunbridge Wells Council leader David Jukes quitting the Conservative Party after more than 50 years a member and saying the scandal will result in a ‘bloodbath’ at the local elections scheduled for May.
Mr Clark’s refusal to either back Mr Johnson or criticise his conduct, came as MPs returned to Westminster yesterday (Tuesday) to hear from the PM who promised to ‘set out his position’ after being fined for breaching Covid rules on his birthday by the Met.
Mr Johnson apologised for being in breach of the rules but now faces a vote on whether he misled parliament.
