Stay or go? Region's MPs give their reaction to PM's 'Partygate' apology

The Prime Minister apologised in the Commons after he was fined for breaching lockdown restrictions when attending a Downing Street gathering to celebrate his birthday in June 2020.

He now faces a vote over whether he should be investigated for misleading Parliament after initially claiming that no rules were broken in Number 10.

Addressing MPs for the first time since the Easter recess, Mr Johnson appeared to double down on his ignorance of his own Covid rules.

After apologising with “full humility”, he said: “It did not occur to me then or subsequently that a gathering in the Cabinet Room just before a vital meeting on Covid strategy could amount to a breach of the rules.”

Labour and the Lib Dems have called for Mr Johnson to stand down, but Tory MPs from across the Midlands have again reiterated their backing for the PM, saying it was the wrong time for a change of leadership.

It came as Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle approved a vote on whether Mr Johnson lied to MPs over the issue, which is set to take place tomorrow.

Valerie Vaz, MP for Walsall South, was one of many Labour MPs to brand Mr Johnson's apology inadequate and call for him to resign. She said: “The Prime Minister’s statement and apology were wholly inadequate. He has apologised to the House for a fine which he has admitted broke the rules.

“Over 1,000 people died from Covid-19 in Walsall. In Walsall South we lost front-line staff in the NHS, who literally gave their lives to keep us safe.

"Everyone did what was asked of them and stayed away from celebrations and funerals, except the Prime Minister. There is no excuse for someone in the highest office to break the law, he must resign.”

Stuart Anderson, Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West, has continued to back the PM.

He said: “Mistakes have been made and he has laid those out in an open and honest manner.”

Fellow Tory MP Suzanne Webb, said: “The Prime Minister has apologised and has accepted his fixed penalty notice. It was right he then focussed on other matters including the Government’s continuing response and global leadership following the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Mr Johnson to resign following his "half-hearted" apology.

He said he had spoken to Lichfield man John Robinson who had been prevented from spending time with his dying wife in compliance with the rules.

"Doesn't the Prime Minister realise that John Robinson would have given the world to hold his dying wife's hand even if it was just for nine minutes, but he didn't because he followed the Prime Minister's rules, rules we now know the Prime Minister blithely, repeatedly and deliberately ignored," said Sir Keir.

"After months of insulting excuses, today's half-hearted apology will never be enough for John Robinson.

"If the Prime Minister had any respect for John and the millions like him who sacrificed everything to follow the rules, he'd resign, but he won't because he doesn't respect John, he doesn't respect the sacrifice of the British public, he's a man without shame."

Sir Bill Cash, MP for Stone, spoke in defence of the Prime Minister, saying that a fixed-penalty notice was not a criminal conviction and did not constitute and admission of guilt.