What time is PMQs and how to watch? Boris Johnson set for showdown with MPs over BYOB lockdown party

Boris Johnson is facing a showdown with MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions as he expects to face scrutiny over allegations about a party held at Downing Street during lockdown 2020.
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The Prime Minister faces furious demands to come clean over his attendance at a reported “bring your own booze” party in the No 10 garden in breach of Covid lockdown rules.

MPs will have the chance to scrutinise the PM in his first public appearance since the leak on Monday of an email from his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds inviting Downing Street staff to the gathering in May 2020.

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Downing Street has refused to say if he was present at the May event, despite reports he and his fiancee (now wife), Carrie Symonds, were among around 30 people to attend at a time when such gatherings were banned.

Boris Johnson is to face MPs amid furious demands to come clean over his attendance at a reported “bring your own booze” party in the No 10 garden in breach of Covid lockdown rules.Boris Johnson is to face MPs amid furious demands to come clean over his attendance at a reported “bring your own booze” party in the No 10 garden in breach of Covid lockdown rules.
Boris Johnson is to face MPs amid furious demands to come clean over his attendance at a reported “bring your own booze” party in the No 10 garden in breach of Covid lockdown rules.

The Prime Minister has said it is a matter for Sue Gray, the senior civil servant who is investigating a series of reported parties in Downing Street and elsewhere in Whitehall in the course of 2020 to determine what happened.

Here’s how you can tune in to PMQs today.

What time is PMQs?

Prime Minister's questions will start at its usual time of 12pm and is expected to run for around half an hour.

How to watch PMQs and stream online?

You can livestream PMQs on a host of channels.

BBC Parliament will be streaming PMQs via BBC iPlayer while Sky News will also be providing live coverage on Youtube.

Parliament Live TV also stream the session.

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What can we expect?

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It is likely that there will be anger across the Commons with Labour, Lib Dems, the SNP and others all expected to quiz Boris Johnson on the allegations. However, we may also see some revolt from the Conservatives with many MPs thought to be losing faith in the PM.

Sir Charles Walker, the vice chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said there was a lot of anger over what had happened and said the Prime Minister urgently needed to rebuild public trust.

Will Boris Johnson resign as Prime Minister?

Two snap polls found a majority now believed Mr Johnson should stand down as Prime Minister.

A Savanta ComRes study found 66% of British adults thought he should quit, with 24% saying he should stay while a YouGov survey for Sky News found 56% believed he should go, with 27% saying he should remain.

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Johnson should resign, claiming he was “not being truthful” about his knowledge of the various parties.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he felt “furious” at the latest allegations of a lockdown-busting party in Downing Street, as he called on the Prime Minister to say whether he attended or not “right now”.

He said: “I’m angry. I think that reflects what people across Scotland and the UK are feeling right now.”

Saying he supported Sue Gray’s inquiry into the allegations, Mr Ross continued: “Nothing would undermine what Sue Gray is trying to do, for the Prime Minister to come out and answer a very simple question.

“Was he at the party or not?

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“That wouldn’t undermine her investigation or her inquiry but it would let the public know, one way or another.”

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