Banbury constituency Conservatives' chief 'utterly dismayed and incredibly angry... bady let down' by Boris Johnson in message to party faithful

Boris Johnson, in happier times, drinking a pint of beer on a regional visit to the Midlands. Picture by Getty

NOCA chairman Hugo Brown sent out a message to members last night (Wednesday) after the PM admitted he had been to the 'bring your own booze' party in May 2020, when the country was in a firm lockdown and forbidden to mix socially.

Mr Johnson apologised in Parliament yesterday and Banbury MP Victoria Prentis - who was not aware of the 2020 party until reports hit the headlines - also offered apologies for the hurt experienced by those who had missed critical moments because of the Covid-19 restrictions in place at that time.

Mr Brown's message to Conservative members last night said: "The events of the last 24 hours have left me utterly dismayed and incredibly angry.

The message sent to Tory faithfuls in North Oxfordshire

"I suspect most of you will feel the same. This is not the sort of behaviour the country or the party expects from a prime minister. These are testing times to be a member of the Conservative Party.

"In this era of politics by social media, it can be too easy to make instantaneous judgments. And it is for that reason that I do not write to members with comments on national events likely, but it felt necessary today.

"We have been badly let down. We have to expect better days on the horizon."

Commenting on the escalating situation, Labour leader in Cherwell, Cllr Sean Woodcock called for Boris Johnson to step down.

He said: "Boris Johnson has lied to the Commons and lied to country and he should resign.

"He knows it. The country knows it. Even his own party know it. Unless Victoria Prentis is seriously out of touch not only with the country but with the members of her own local party then she knows it too."