MANCHESTER, England – Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s downfall was just one of many big stories in the U.K. this past year, as Johnson’s time as prime minister was overshadowed by scandal after scandal.
In fact, Johnson shook off so many of them during his time in office, it seemed his political standing would remain undamaged – leading to him being dubbed ‘Teflon Johnson’.
However, the “Partygate” scandal over parties, events and other gatherings held in government buildings, in breach of the U.K.’s strict COVID-19 lockdown rules, would slowly undermine his authority.
Johnson was accused of knowingly breaking the rules, feigning ignorance and lying about his knowledge of the illegal gatherings.
BORIS JOHNSON ‘BROUGHT DOWN BY BORIS JOHNSON,’ BUT WEAKENED ECONOMY DIDN’T HELP, EXPERTS SAY
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a news conference inside 10 Downing Street in London on Tuesday.
(Associated Press)
The scandal remained in the spotlight for months as more details leaked out and became public, with Johnson maintaining his innocence, despite a flurry of newspaper headlines.
It proved particularly damaging because so many families who were forced to follow the rules were denied seeing loved ones who died of the virus – leading to accusations of double standards.
Police investigated, and it emerged Johnson had attended at least three parties, including one the day before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
In April 2022, he was fined for breaking lockdown rules, along with his wife Carrie and then-Chancellor of the Exchequer and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Johnson became the first serving prime minister to break the law and face police sanctions; his reputation never recovered.
Additionally, when he was accused of misleading Parliament over claims senior Conservative Party colleague Chris Pincher had groped two men at a private club, it prompted many government ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) to resign.
UK PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON APOLOGIZES AS PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR HIM TO RESIGN OVER ‘PARTYGATE’
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson disinfects a chair in the public waiting area during a vaccination centre in Cwmbran, South Wales, Wednesday Feb. 17, 2021.
(Geoff Caddick/Pool via AP)
Johnson later apologized for his handling of the affair, but it did little to calm the crisis, and he was forced to quit in July.
Below are some of the other stories making big headlines in the U.K. in 2022.
PRINCE ANDREW
A long-running civil case involving the late Queen Elizabeth II’s son, the Duke of York, came to an end in March.
Prince Andrew was sued by Virginia Giuffre for sexual abuse following claims he had sex with her when she was 17 and had been trafficked by his friend, the billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew claimed he never met Giuffre but paid her an out-of-court settlement, reported to be as much as $14.5- million.
The scandal rocked the British royal family and severely damaged the duke’s public standing.
Andrew stepped back from royal duties in late 2019, saying the case had become a “major disruption.” In January, the Queen took steps to distance the royal family from him as the prospect of a damaging trial loomed.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, left, also seen in a photo from 2001 that was included in court files showing him with his arm around the waist of 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who says Jeffrey Epstein paid her to have sex with the prince. Andrew has denied the charges. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, right, speaks at a news conference following a hearing where Epstein’s alleged victims made statements in Manhattan Federal Court on Aug. 27, 2019, in New York.
(Photo by Julian Finney – British Athletics/British Athletics via Getty Images US second court of appeals
