REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean acknowledged that public anger is "completely justified" but stopped short of calling for the Prime Minister's resignation following his apology for attending a Downing Street party in lockdown.

It follows calls from opposition leaders and some senior Tories that the Prime Minister should step down after Boris Johnson gave an apology at PMQs yesterday that he had attended a 'bring your own booze' drinks party in the garden at No 10 on May 20 during the first lockdown.

He said he had believed it to be a work event.

An investigation is set to be carried out by top civil servant Sue Gray into what happened and the Redditch MP said that if the investigation finds that rules were broken, there must be "severe consequences" for those involved.

The Redditch MP appeared on the BBC's Politics Live programme after PMQ's where she said the Prime Minister should not resign and said the calls were an "opposition driven campaign".

A Labour Redditch spokesperson said: "it is absolutely clear that Rachel Maclean has thrown away every last shred of respect and dignity in order to defend the indefensible. Redditch deserves so much better."

In a statement today, Rachel Maclean MP said: “I would never dream of the breaking the rules that were put in place to save lives and protect our NHS, not just because I voted for these measures, but because abiding by the rules was the right thing to do.

“As your MP, I take my responsibilities incredibly seriously and I would not do anything to undermine important public health messaging.

“There were long periods over the past two years when I was unable to see my children, but following the rules was the right thing to do, no matter how difficult it was not seeing the people I love. I know my constituents also made huge sacrifices in order to follow the rules.

“I’m angry that a gathering took place in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, and this is being investigated as we speak by Sue Gray.

“I’m glad the Prime Minister came to the House of Commons and apologised. He has taken full responsibility for what happened and rightly so.

“My constituents are understandably furious, to put it mildly. This anger is completely justified, and I’m under no illusions about how my constituents feel about what happened in Downing Street.

“If Sue Gray’s investigation finds that the rules were broken, then there must be severe consequences for all those who attended this gathering, or any of the alleged gatherings which are currently being investigated. No one in this country is above the law.”

Redditch Labour have called on the Prime Minister to resign, adding that while the garden party took place, "Maclean's constituents were separated from their families and could not attend funerals. NHS staff were working exhausting shifts and carers were living in caravans to be near to their care homes and avoid cross infection."