Rishi Sunak forced to apologise over partygate during campaign visit to Milton Keynes
The Prime Minister was asked how he could be trusted after being challenged by a man whose mother had died during the pandemic.
Mr Sunak was put on the spot during an election campaign visit to Niftylift in Stonebridge where he took part in a staff Q&A session.
Nick Fox, an environment, health and safety officer told the Prime Minister he lost his mother in 2020, a month after Mr Sunak attended former prime minister Boris Johnson’s birthday celebration. Mr Sunak was forced to apologise for attending the party at No 10 during lockdown and was later fined.
Mr Fox asked: “Good that you mention trust. My mum died in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. My brothers couldn’t be there and I couldn’t be with her in hospital. You’ll remember that was the month when all the parties were going on in Downing Street. I think the month after you attended a gathering when you got a fixed penalty notice. So my question is, how can anyone trust you or the party after things like this?”
Mr Sunak replied: “Well, I’m really sorry that you lost your mum and particularly in those circumstances, because it wasn’t easy for so many people during the pandemic, the impact it had on everyone’s life.
“And I can’t imagine what it must have been for you not to be able to be with her at that time. It’s really tough.
“And I’m sorry for what was going on in Downing Street. And for my part, I apologise that I showed up to a meeting earlier.”
Explaining his role as Chancellor during he pandemic, he added: “As you know, I was working on things to help you and your business and many other families like that.
“And in fact, it was probably in that same period of time that you got to know me as chancellor.
“Most of you didn’t know who I was before then, and I popped up on your TV screens, announced the furlough scheme … Hopefully, some of you here benefited from some of the support that we put in place.”
Mr Fox told a PA Agency he was “not really that surprised” parties in Downing Street wee going on around the same time his mother, Christine Fox, 66, died.
“His apology isn’t accepted. I wasn’t looking for an apology either.
“I think we all knew things like that were going to happen. It was going to be one rule for us and another rule for them.
“It doesn’t really make it any easier. It’s still very frustrating.”
Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson were fined for attending he former Prime Minister’s birthday gathering in Downing Street in June 2020.
Mr Sunak is said to have agonised over whether to resign as chancellor after being issued with a fixed-penalty notice in April 2022, but decided against it.
Mr Sunak was joinedo n the visit by Ben Everitt, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Milton Keynes North and Johnny Luk, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Milton Keynes Central.
They met the chief executive to congratulate the business on its recent business successes. They then hosted the PM Connect event with employees, with the Prime Minister taking questions on a variety of topics including the Conservatives’ bold new plan on national service, the pragmatic approach the Prime Minister has taken on Net Zero and how to continue to grow the UK’s burgeoning manufacturing sector.
Mr Sunak said: “It was fantastic to join Johnny and Ben in Milton Keynes and see first hand the trailblazing innovation at Niftylift.
“In Milton Keynes, the choice for voters is clear: either backing our clear plan to secure a brighter future for Britain with policies like backing apprenticeships; or Sir Keir Starmer who has no plan and would take us back to square one.”