A POLITICAL campaign group has released a Line of Duty-style parody video grilling Boris Johnson over his actions during the pandemic.
Led by Donkeys released a video yesterday where the Prime Minister appears to be interrogated by the AC-12 anti-corruption room from the award winning Line of Duty.
The spoof comes after it surfaced that Johnson and other senior party figures will face fines as a result of the partygate scandal.
The video begins as renowned anti-corruption officers DSI Ted Hastings, DI Kate Fleming and DI Steve Arnott probe Johnson over controversial Covid contracts.
Kate Fleming, played by Vicky McClure, appears to say: “In the Spring of 2020, when the first wave of Covid tore through the country you created a secret back-channel that helped friends at the Conservative Party make millions of pounds out of PPE contracts.”
The Prime Minister, who has been edited into the video, replies: “Insofar as there are any conflicts of interest, they’ll be evident from the publication of all the details of all the contracts.”
Martin Compston’s character, Steve Arnott, then seemingly retorts: “Companies that were channeled into your so-called VIP lane were ten times more likely to have obtained contracts than companies without political connections.”
He is then questioned about the renovation of his Downing Street flat, Kate Fleming is edited to say: “Note and invoice to the value of £112,000.
“Included in the price is the purchase of gold wallpaper at the cost of £850 per roll.
“When inquiries were made about who paid for said renovation, you claimed that you didn’t know.”
DC Arnott shows a Whatsapp exchange between the Prime Minister and Lord Brownlow, he appears to say: “You ask him to pay the bill and he agrees.
“So, you did know who paid for your refurbishment, even when you said you didn’t.”
Superintendent Hasting, played by Adrian Dunbar, adds: “To cap it all, soon after Brownlow agreed to foot your bill he secured a meeting with a cabinet minister to peddle one of his pet projects.”
On Boris Johnson’s alleged affair with Jennifer Arcuri, DC Arnott is edited to say: “You had an affair with this American technology entrepreneur, who then received tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money and access to overseas trade missions that you led.”
A doctored version of Ted Hasting mounts the pressure by saying: “And your friend, Owen Paterson was caught bang to rights taking a hundred grand a year from a Covid testing company, before successfully lobbying for them to win hundreds of millions of pounds in government contracts.
“Mother of God.
“Taxpayers money being siphoned off yet again.
Fleming continues, saying: “You tried to get Paterson off the hook by sacking the parliamentary sleaze watchdog that was investigating him.”
The edit ends with Arnott saying: “You lot even partied the night before the Queen buried her husband of 73 years.”
Led by Donkeys posted the video to Twitter yesterday morning, writing: “It’s not just the parties.
“He lies about everything.”
The video has now received over 1.5 million views with more than 38,000 likes, 20,000 retweets and 400 comments.
Social media users gave the video plaudits, but also questioned the current position of Boris Johnson.
@MrMarkBradshaw said: “Brilliant, unfortunately we get the MET instead of AC12.
“I know which I prefer, thanks to all involved.”
@Rebecca77305296 said: “Powerful, truthful and so absolutely heartrending.
“Thank you.”
@JoJophysicsgirl said: “Brilliant as always, sums up the feeling of all those who are not kowtowing to their inglorious leader.”
@LiziphoneLiz said: “How in the name of God did this person become Prime Minister of the UK?
“We as a country deserve so much better but we got what we never voted for because of the ridiculous FPTP voting system.”
Earlier this week, Boris Johnson, along with Rishi Sunak, were fined by the Police for the rules they were found to have broken during the height of the Covid pandemic.
Both ministers issued an apology following the news of the fines.
Sources close to Number 10 claim that the PM is now facing a further three fines over the Partygate scandal.
A YouGov poll has revealed 57% of people think Mr Johnson should resign after being fined, while 30% said he should stay.
The same proportion of the 2,464 adults polled said Mr Sunak should also resign.
