Leeds woman whose father died with Covid-19 calls on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign over 'partygate'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson "simply must resign" over alleged Covid breaches, according to a Leeds woman who lost her father to the disease.
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The comments come after it was announced that at least 20 fines would be issued over alleged lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.

Kathryn de Prudhoe, a psychotherapist from Leeds, lost her father Tony Clay in April 2020, despite him being a "really fit, physically active man" before he succumbed to the illness.

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Tony Clay pictured weith his wife Joyce, daughter Kathryn de Prudhoe and grandchildren Ruby and Jacob.Tony Clay pictured weith his wife Joyce, daughter Kathryn de Prudhoe and grandchildren Ruby and Jacob.
Tony Clay pictured weith his wife Joyce, daughter Kathryn de Prudhoe and grandchildren Ruby and Jacob.
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Mrs De Prudhoe, 47, has now said Mr Johnson “simply must resign” and questioned his authority to lead the country out of the pandemic.

he said: “His reputation on the national and global stage is already in tatters, and now Covid cases and hospitalisations are once again rising rapidly he has no authority to ask anyone to do the right things to get the situation back under control,” she said.

“His ‘living with Covid’ plan is reckless and failing but his desire to save his own skin means he’s willing to let more people become seriously ill and die.

“This isn’t leadership, it’s self-preservation at all costs.”

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Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post in 2020, Mrs De Prudhoe said her father, a retired civil engineer, had flu-like symptoms for around two-weeks before falling at home in the early hours of April 11 that year after becoming confused and disoriented.

He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by ambulance and admitted to a Covid-19 intensive care ward after testing positive for coronavirus.

Doctors told Mr Clay's family it was suspected he had suffered a heart attack and had a bleed on the brain.

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed this week it would begin to refer the notices to the Criminal Records Office, which would be responsible for issuing the penalties.

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The Met is investigating at least 12 events, including six the Prime Minister is thought to have attended, and Downing Street has said it will confirm if he is handed a fixed penalty notice (FPN).

No 10 has insisted Mr Johnson did not mislead MPs when he told them no lockdown rules had been broken in Downing Street, despite the Met concluding the law was breached.

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