UK ministers rally around embattled Boris Johnson, for now

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Senior British government ministers have expressed support for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and rejected demands he resign for attending a garden party during the country’s first coronavirus lockdown. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said Thursday that Johnson had made a “very, very sincere” apology, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted: “I stand behind the Prime Minister 100%.” But many other Conservatives are holding their tongues, waiting to see whether the crisis threatening Johnson’s premiership will fade or intensify. Johnson apologized in the House of Commons on Wednesday for attending a “bring your own booze” party in May 2020. Opposition politicians are demanding he resign for attending, and for previous denials that any rules had been broken.