Time to move on from Partygate? The swing seat of Crewe reacts to Number 10 allegations

Report by ITV Granada Report's correspondent Elaine Willcox

Crewe is a hotly contested swing seat in the North West where 60% of voters backed Brexit.

So it is the perfect location to take the political temperature after some tumultuous few weeks in politics, culminating in Sue Gray's report into parties in Downing street during lockdown.

The MP for Crewe and Nantwich, who was elected in 2019 after taking the seat from Labour says he "understands why people are angry with partygate and says he's angry too".

Dr Kieran Mullan went back to volunteer in A&E during the covid pandemic and saw how hard staff were working to stick to the rules.

He has been waiting for Sue Gray's report to decide whether the Prime Minister still has his support, but he says the report was so limited he need more information.

Hannah Brady set up the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice after her dad's death during the pandemic

Hannah Brady, whose father Shaun from Wigan died alone in hospital, has already made her mind up, she has lost all faith in Boris Johnson.

On the day Downing Street staff held a 'bring your own booze' garden party Hannah was registering her dad's death.

She does not accept the Prime Minister's apology and said: "The Prime Minister had every opportunity to apologise to me face to face when I met him in September 2021 at Downing Street.

"Then he told me he had done everything he could to protect my dad, instead he chose to conceal these parties until they were forced out and it is now a criminal investigation."

Bereaved daughter says there is 'moral duty' to remove Boris Johnson
Politics has been a hot topic at the Men in Sheds group in Crewe

At the Men in Sheds support group in Crewe, politics and the PM have been a hot topic of conversation.

Simon Farr, who had a stroke and was paralysed in 2012, said the group has been a lifeline for him.

He says Johnson still has his support because in his view, it is 'better the devil you know'.

Chris Lomas accepts those who have lost loved ones will be angry, and says 'you can only weep for them' but he thinks Boris Johnson 'had done a good job in difficult circumstances.

He said he may have broken the rules but he doesn't think that was 'malicious'.

Working alongside them, Michael Povall couldn't disagree more. His only brother was in a care home during the pandemic and couldn't understand why his family didn't visit.

He said they stuck to the rules, no matter how heartbreaking and he will never accept the double standards of those who 'made the rules'.

A straw poll of shoppers in Crewe said the Prime Minister should go, while some of the Men in Sheds group were prepared to give the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt, the women we met were not, although a young student was 'undecided'.