Tyrone Tory tips Boris to survive ‘wine and cheese parties’

ONE of the very few Conservative Party members in Tyrone has said he believes the parties held at 10 Downing Street during the lock-down last year were a “serious lapse of judgement”.

But Roger Lomas from Ballygawley believes that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s job is safe – for now.

Mr Lomas has been a long-time and prominent local member of the Conservatives for more than a decade. He was speaking to We Are Tyrone following the revelations about at least three parties in Downing Street during the height of the pandemic, including one on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip, the Queen’s late husband, last year.

Mr Lomas claimed that the PM had made bad decisions in relation to trying to keep former NI secretary of state, Owen Paterson, on board amid allegations of ‘Tory sleaze’, and the finances relating to the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.

“If anything more comes out, then I believe his position would be totally untenable. I think he will survive because there isn’t the mood for a General Election at the moment,” the former election candidate said.

“As an individual member of the party, I can say that it can be incredibly loyal to those it believes are a credit. But the moment it believes you to being a threat or liability, then the party can be ruthless.

“I have no objections to Boris Johnson inviting his staff to a works-related event. But the inclusion of alcohol or wine and cheese just removes all credibility that this was a works event.

“It had the optics of a freebie party, rather than being a thank you to the staff for their work.”