A lot has happened since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019 and although he was credited with winning 'Red Wall' traditional Labour seats in the North East that year, he has also overseen scandal after scandal since then.

Read more: The fascinating castle not normally open to the public but will be this weekend

Following Mr Johnson's resignation announcement today (Thursday, July 7), we take a look at some of the controversies that have rocked the Prime Minister and the Conservative party since he took to the helm.

A shady affair

The Northern Echo: Boris Johnson had a four-year affair with US entrepreneur Jennifer Acuri Picture: PABoris Johnson had a four-year affair with US entrepreneur Jennifer Acuri Picture: PA

News emerged in 2019 of Boris Johnson having an affair with businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri whilst he was married and serving as Mayor of London.

Mr Johnson was accused of overruling the advice of government officials to promote the business interests of his lover who was 27-years-old at the time of the affair.

Arcuri reportedly received £126,000 of public money in the form of grants for her technology business and event sponsorship.

Although the police decided no investigation was warranted, the IOPC found Mr Johnson's failure to declare the conflict of interest may have breached the GLA 2012 code of conduct.

The Northern Echo: Barnard Castle Picture: Northern EchoBarnard Castle Picture: Northern Echo

Dominic Cummings and THAT trip to Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle hit the headlines when it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s chief adviser at the time, Dominic Cummings, had taken a day trip there while the rest of the country was in lockdown.

Mr Cummings drove to Durham with coronavirus in March 2020 and then drove to Barnard Castle to “test his eyesight” whilst strict lockdown rules were in place.

The trip provoked a public outcry and Mr Cumming's later made some explosive revelations in a BBC interview as his and Mr Johnson's relationship broke down.

Mr Cummings told the BBC in July last year: “You know the Prime Minister’s only agenda is buy more trains, buy more buses, have more bikes and build the world’s most stupid tunnel to Ireland – that’s it."

The Northern Echo: Dominic Cummings, a former Number 10 aideDominic Cummings, a former Number 10 aide

Number 10 refurbishment

Boris Johnson and his now-wife Carrie oversaw a £100k-plus refurbishment of their Downing Street flat, including the now infamous £840-a-roll gold wallpaper.

The work was initially paid for by the Cabinet Office, but £52,000 towards the costs was given to the Conservative Party by Tory party donor Lord Brownlow.

The Conservative party was fined almost £18,000 after the Electoral Commission found it had failed to accurately declare all of Lord Brownlow's donations towards the renovation.

Sex offender Tories

The Northern Echo: Former Conservative MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke Picture: PAFormer Conservative MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke Picture: PA

Several MPs have been accused or convicted of serious sexual offences under Boris Johnson's prime ministerial reign.

They include Conservative MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke who was jailed for two years after being found of three counts of sexual assault against two women.

And Wakefield Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan was found guilty of sexually assaulting a boy aged 15 after getting him drunk at a party in 2008.

Read more: Ban for motorist caught driving while double the legal drink drive limit

Just last week Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip over allegations he groped two men at a Conservative private members’ club.

It them emerged Boris Johnson was reportedly aware of a formal complaint against Mr Pincher when the MP was a Foreign Office minister and before his appointment to the Tory whips’ office.

The Northern Echo: Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking during a press conference in Downing Street, London, following the publication of Sue Gray’s report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown Picture: PAPrime Minister Boris Johnson speaking during a press conference in Downing Street, London, following the publication of Sue Gray’s report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown Picture: PA

Partygate

Perhaps the most damaging scandal to hit Boris Johnson's government were the findings of the Sue Gray report into lockdown law-breaking by government officials and the Prime Minister himslef.

The report, published in May this year, found that despite large gatherings being illegal at the time, civil servants and political advisers held several parties where individuals drank so much they were sick, fought with each other and left via the back door to avoid being spotted.

Ugly details also emerged of officials spilling wine in Whitehall and being rude and disrespectful to cleaning staff.

For members of the public who diligently observed lockdown rules, and particularly for those who lost loved ones and were unable to hold full funerals for them, the partygate scandal was the final straw in the series of scandals that dogged Mr Johnson’s rein.

 

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054