Claims that Boris Johnson skipped a gathering of Northern MPs in favor of a trip to Ukraine out of fear of a poor reception following the partygate scandal have been dismissed as “conspiracy theorists.”
According to Downing Street, the prime minister traveled to Kiev to offer President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an extensive training program for his military.
On Friday, the prime minister abruptly withdrew from a gathering of northern Conservatives in Doncaster, only days before a vital by-election in Wakefield that the Conservatives are generally predicted to lose.
He instead traveled to Kiev to meet with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sam Coates, the deputy political editor for Sky News, stated that organizers of the inaugural Northern Research Group (NRG) conference were “mystified” by the absence, but had been informed that there was a “valid explanation” and that it was “significant enough.”
However, this did not stop rumors that Mr. Johnson may have canceled to avoid a tough ride in the wake of the partygate affair and a major uprising by his MPs.
The charges were ridiculed by Mr. Johnson’s backers, with Defense Secretary Ben Wallace labeling them “conspiracy bs.”
He stated that “a great deal of nonsense” was being spread, adding that such visits had to be planned in “absolute secrecy” and that Mr. Johnson needed to express support for an ally at war.
“Helping Ukraine win and assisting at home are interrelated. This confrontation has contributed to an increase in gas and food prices, which contributes to inflation,” he tweeted.
“It’s incredible how a significant trip can create so many conspiracy theories.”
MPs at the conference were enraged that the prime minister did not attend, as they were informed that Mr. Johnson “was on the train to Doncaster” on Friday morning.
The representative stated, “This is the first test of his outreach to his colleagues, and he has failed.
Jake Berry, the head of the NRG, expressed “disappointment” at Mr. Johnson’s absence.
He stated that the summit highlighted the significance of providing the area more autonomy so that it is not just dependent on Whitehall lawmakers.
The next general election would be difficult for the Conservatives, he warned, unless people in the North could understand the advantages of equalization.
“I would not flee…”
The movements of the prime minister are an issue for Downing Street, Mr. Berry told Channel 4 News.
“Some were dissatisfied. We had about 30 colleagues and 400 members present.
“What we have presented here today are tremendously optimistic proposals from the North, for the North aimed to appeal to electors in Wakefield and throughout the North of England.
“It is about stoking the debate on how we in the North of England can reclaim control of our destinies and no longer be dependent on a prime minister in Whitehall or Kyiv or wherever he may be at any given time to alter our lives.
“Whoever the prime minister is and whatever is in the Conservative Party program, it will be a very difficult election if people do not feel good about what the Conservatives have accomplished in the North. I wouldn’t try to avoid that.”
Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Henri Murison, who was also present at the NRG event, stated that Mr. Johnson’s absence was a “lost opportunity.”
‘Be bold, like Boris’
According to Downing Street, Mr. Johnson met with President Zelenskyy in Kiev to discuss Ukraine’s struggle against Russia and to give a significant training package to Ukrainian soldiers “to help sustain their brave defense.”
According to the government, the program, which is led by the United Kingdom, can train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days and will assist both new and existing Ukrainian military.
Using battle-tested British Army expertise, the initiative will train and drill Ukraine’s armed forces, allowing them to accelerate their deployment, rebuild their forces, and increase their resistance as they continue to defend their nation’s sovereignty against Russian invaders, according to Downing Street.
In April, Mr. Johnson traveled to Kyiv for the first time as the first leader of a G7 nation.
At the time, the Ukrainian defense ministry stated, “We welcome Boris Johnson to Kiev… Be courageous, like Boris. Be brave, like Ukraine.”
