Could Partygate Be the End for Boris Johnson?
英國派對門事件
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has weathered many scandals during his long political career, but could the latest—which involves *allegations of rule-breaking gatherings at 10 Downing Street and other government buildings during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021—finally cause his downfall? A little partying may not seem like a big deal, but the leader of the country’s Labour Party says the PM should resign, and some members of Johnson’s own Conservative Party agree.
英國首相鮑里斯強森漫長的政治生涯中，經歷了許多醜聞，但近期涉及2020年至2021年新冠疫情封城期間，他被控在唐寧街10號和其他政府機關違反防疫規定聚會，是否最終會導致他的執政生涯急轉直下？稍微辦個派對看似沒什麼大不了，但英國工黨黨魁表示，首相應該辭職下台，強森所屬的保守黨其中一些黨員也表示同意。
Although the parties in question took place from mid-2020 to mid-2021, the scandal itself—dubbed Partygate—didn’t begin until November 2021. On November 30, the Daily Mirror published a story alleging that three parties had taken place at Downing Street in late 2020 as the country entered its second lockdown, including a small gathering in Johnson’s flat “where they were all getting plastered” on November 13, and a Christmas party, which the PM didn’t attend, on December 18. A week later, following an official denial, ITV broadcast a video showing Johnson staffers joking about their “cheese and wine” Christmas party.
儘管這些眾所討論的派對發生在2020年中至2021年中，但這個稱為「派對門」的醜聞直到2021年11月才被報出來。 11月30日《每日鏡報》發表了一篇報導，指控2020年底當英國進入第二次封城時，共有三場派對在首相官邸舉辦，包括 11月13日在強森的公寓舉行的小型聚會上「眾人都在那裡喝得酩酊大醉」，以及12月18日首相沒有參加的耶誕派對。在官方否認此事的一周後，獨立電視台公布一段影片，顯示了強森的執政團隊拿他們的「乳酪和葡萄酒」耶誕派對開玩笑。
Addressing Parliament on December 8, Johnson apologized for the offense caused by the video. “I was also furious to see that clip,” said the PM, adding “I have been repeatedly assured, since these allegations emerged, that there was no party and that no COVID rules were broken.” That same day, Johnson asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to conduct an inquiry. But when it was revealed that Case had thrown his own office party the day before the December 18 bash, he was removed from the inquiry and replaced by civil servant Sue Gray.
12月8日強森向國會表示，因影片造成的過錯而道歉。首相說：「看到那段影片我也很生氣」，並補充說：「自從這些指控出現以來，我一再得到保證，沒有任何派對舉辦，也沒有違反防疫規定。」同一天，強森要求內閣秘書西蒙凱斯進行調查。然而，當凱斯被揭露在12月18日派對前一天，在自己的辦公室辦派對後，他從調查中被除名，由公務員蘇格雷接任。
And reports of additional parties at government offices kept coming in—eight in the fall of 2020, including a photo of Johnson next to staffers in tinsel and Santa hats at a Christmas quiz, breaking a rule forbidding people from different households from mixing. Next came news of a Downing Street BYOB garden party on May 20, 2020, at which Johnson was photographed drinking wine with his girlfriend, now wife, Carrie. Even worse, however, were reports of farewell parties for two Downing Street staffers with drinking and dancing on April 16, 2021, the day before Prince Philip’s funeral, during the third national lockdown.
政府辦公室的其他派對報導層出不窮。在2020年秋季共有八場，其中一張耶誕節猜謎的照片顯示，強森站在圍著金蔥圈、戴著耶誕帽的職員旁，打破禁止不同家庭成員聚會的規定。接著是2020年5月20日首相官邸的自帶酒水花園派對新聞，當時強森被拍到與女友（現任妻子）凱莉一起飲酒。然而，更糟糕的是，有報導指稱，在第三次全國封城期間的2021年4月16日，即菲力浦親王葬禮前一天，有場為了兩名官邸職員舉行的飲酒與跳舞餞行派對。
Johnson, who didn’t attend the two parties personally, apologized to Queen Elizabeth on January 14, 2021. At this point, Labour leader Keir Starmer called for his resignation—as did some members of his own party. On January 25, building on Sue Gray’s inquiry, the Metropolitan Police opened its own investigation into potential *breaches of COVID rules at government buildings. So far in February, five senior staffers have resigned over the scandal. Johnson is expected to face growing calls to resign if he is fined for his role, but his allies have insisted he is going nowhere.
強森本人並未出席這兩場派對，並於2021年1月14日向伊莉莎白女王致歉。在這一點上，工黨領袖基爾斯塔默呼籲他辭職，就像他所屬政黨的某些成員一樣。在1月25日，在蘇格雷的調查基礎上，倫敦警察廳針對違反政府機構防疫規定的潛在行為展開調查。到今年2月為止，已有五名高級職員因醜聞辭職。如果強森因目前處境而被懲處，預計他將面臨更多的下台要求，但他的盟友堅稱他不會離開崗位。
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