Partygate investigation: North East voters have their say on Boris Johnson's future as Prime Minister

On Thursday, April 21, MPs approved a Labour Party motion referring Mr Johnson to the Commons Privileges Committee for an investigation, which cannot begin until inquiries by the Metropolitan Police have concluded.

The force is continuing its probe into lockdown-breaking gatherings at Downing Street while coronavirus restrictions, imposed by the Government, were in action.

Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have all received fixed penalty notices (FPNs) as part of the police investigation to date.

They relate to a birthday gathering held in the PM’s honour in June 2020, while rules of the first national lockdown in England still applied.

Related content: At least 30 more fixed penalty notices for Covid breaches issued by Metropolitan Police

As calls for the Prime Minister to step down are made across the political spectrum, we asked members of the North East electorate for their views.

The UK’s next general election is currently scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 2, 2024 – but some readers would now like to see that date brought forward.

Meanwhile, others would like to see Mr Johnson stay in the top job, as they believe there are “not exactly many strong candidates to replace him”.

Here's what you had to say on our social media pages:

Diane McGuire: “Let him get on with his job, sick of ‘Partygate’ now. Hand on heart, there were a lot who didn’t follow rules, hence the pandemic.”

Paul and Yvonee Cowey: “Sometimes it’s better the devil you know once their card is marked.”

Steve Gibbon: “Those who want him to resign should also name someone to replace him.”

Veronica Hearn: “Should be a general election.”

Lynn Napier: “There's no one good enough to replace him, I don't think he should resign!”

David McKiernan: “I think that the answer could be to call a general election.”

Frances Richmond: “I would hate to be PM! Even members of your own party, who want your job, would rather sabotage your efforts than see you be a success!”

Mark Robson: “That’s the problem, not exactly many strong candidates.”

Related content: Prime Minister Boris Johnson to face investigation into whether he lied to MPs about Downing Street parties

Jean David Donald: “Sad, I remember really excellent Tory leaders who must be spinning in their graves at this lot.”

Eddie Oliver: “Definitely not anyone currently sitting on the front bench.”

Margaret Bouchier: “Let us keep Boris. No one to take his place.”

Sam Marsland: “The man hasn’t gone yet, nobody could have got us through a pandemic as well as Boris did. People have such short memories.”

Sandra Jennings: “Wish people would leave him alone now, enough is enough, let him get on with his job.”

Ian Pennington: “No one in Parliament is much cop, we are in dire straights.”

Sal Davis: “I'd like to know who would've done a better job.”

Jean Harvey: “Someone who lives in the real world, does not fall asleep in the House of Commons, knows what it's like to be hard up, puts the people of the UK first.”