Salford Councillor Robin Garrido leapt to Boris Johnson's defence over allegations of multiple parties being held at Downing Street during lockdown. The Prime Minister offered his apology to the Commons during PMQs, admitting he had attended at least one party in May 2020. BBC Today host Nick Robinson engaged in a heated war of words with Mr Garrido as the Conservative politician insisted Mr Johnson is "the best to bring this country back from the brink."

       Mr Garrido said: "I'm not just saying it in that tone of voice, well just move along now.

       "I accept the fact that mistakes were made but we do have to move along, there's no doubt about it.

       "I'd rather hope that people like Patrick, he's a businessman, he's an entrepreneur.

       "And I rather hope that he will think to himself, look, who is best to bring this country back from the brink."

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       Mr Robinson said: "Are you clear what Boris Johnson has actually apologised for?"

       Mr Garrido said: "Yes, I am. He is apologised for breaking the rules as they appeared.

       "He regarded it, I think more as a business meeting rather than any pleasurable party.

       Mr Robinson erupted: "You can't have it both ways, it can't have been a work meeting in his mind, and he's apologising.

       "He's either saying I have nothing to apologise for because it was a work meeting, or he's apologising."

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       Mr Garrido said: "Because that wouldn't have been acceptable for people.

       Unlike Mr Garrido's support for the Prime Minister, other Tories have called for the resignation of Mr Johnson instead of accepting his apology.

       One such MP is Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross who attempted to hold Mr Johnson to account following PMQs on Wednesday after the Prime Minister issued an apology.

       Mr Ross said: "I said, yesterday, if the Prime Minister attended this gathering, event in Downing Street on May 20, 2020, he could not continue as Prime Minister so, regretfully, I have to say his position is no longer tenable.

       "There was one simple question to answer yesterday, indeed, from Monday night when we saw this invitation which was to more than 100 people asking them to join others in the Downing Street garden and bring their own booze.

       "If the Prime Minister was there, and he accepted today that he was, then I felt he could not continue.

       "What we also heard from the Prime Minister today was an apology and he said with hindsight he would have done things differently, which for me is an acceptance from the Prime Minister that it was wrong and therefore, I don't want to be in this position, but I am in this position now, where I don't think he can continue as leader of the Conservatives."