Boris Johnson is accused of being at yet another lockdown busting party, this time one month following his struggle with Covid in the nation’s initial lockdown.
The prime minister reportedly met up to twenty Downing Street staff members inside the garden of No. 10, during a celebratory celebration with beer, wine, pizza and other late-spring festivities on May 15, 2020.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock, then the Health Secretary at the time, held a press conference hours before revealing that 384 people had been killed by Covid. After the announcement, Hancock went on to visit Downing Street’s gardens and have a briefing with the Prime Minister.
Reports the Independent that Mr Johnson said to one Civil servant at the gathering that he was entitled to his drink because of his efforts in fighting the virus.
According to sources, those present had organized celebratory drinks well in advance. Staffers stayed late and alcohol was poured at their desks. No evidence suggests that either Mr Johnson nor Mr Hancock had drank alcohol.
At the time, it was prohibited to mix multiple homes indoors and allowed groups only to meet in an outdoor setting.
Thursday was the latest chapter in Downing Street’s long-running scandal. They were accused of holding a series of lockdown-busting parties despite the strict restrictions that they had set.
According to reports, the Prime Minister joined 20 Downing Street employees inside the garden of No. 10, during a celebration featuring beer, wine, and pizza that took place in late spring.
According to one report, Johnson told a civil servant who was drinking alcohol that Johnson had earned his drink because of his efforts in fighting the virus.
Last April, Johnson said that he could have been in any situation during his time on St Thomas Hospital’s intensive care unit.
On Sunday, April 5, the PM was admitted to hospital. He was transferred to intensive care on Monday April 6 and given oxygen. The PM left St Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday April 12.
Johnson is accused of attending a celebration, which was deemed a party by the attendees, but that broke his government’s restrictions just one month later, on May 15.
A NEW Tory minister is now facing fresh questions about alleged office lockdown breaking.
On the exact same day as London was made Tier 3, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ employees hosted an “illegal” Whitehall party.
The rule-breaking, boozy gathering was planned by nearly a dozen top civil servants on Wednesday, December 16.
According to sources, Mirror senior employees were seen ‘boozing’ and dancing the night away at 5:15pm.
Staffers of Transport Secretary Grant Shapps hosted an illegal Whitehall party the day after London was put under Tier 3 restrictions.
Shapps, 53 years old, denied any knowledge.
A spokesperson for Mr Shapps said:’ He was not notified or invited and would have banned such a gathering forthwith, had he been made aware that it was being prepared.’
The Independent reports that he spent 15 minutes at the party in 10 Downing Street, and told the staff who were having alcohol at their desks, that they deserved the congratulations.
The gardens at 10 Downing Street were filled with civil servants who carried alcohol. They enjoyed the sunshine and drank.
According to a spokesperson for Johnson, the prime minister arrived at his home shortly after 7 p.m. The Downing Street Garden was home to a small portion of the staff who were required to work for the remainder of the afternoon.
Johnson, who warned of increasing fines for social distancing violations days before on May 10th, stated that this would happen.
Indoor mixing of more than one household was prohibited at the time. Only two households could mix outside.
Hancock claimed that the former minister was innocent and did not participate in a lockdown party.
He added, “There’s no indication that Mr Hancock was wrong.” He had come to Downing Street for the Press Conference. Matt reached Downing Street at 4.43 p.m. and spoke at the Press Conference on Lifting Lockdown Measures.
After the press conference Matt finished debriefing his team and went into Downing St. to complete the debriefing of the Prime Minister. At 6:32 pm, Matt left Downing Street and went to the Department for Health and Social Care.
The PM has faced fury from the masses and a public revolt from Tory backbenchers over a series of alleged parties held in November and December 2020 that are currently being investigated by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.
Staff at Downing Street are being accused of hosting four events that could have violated lockdown rules in 2013. This included a gathering held on November 13, attended by Carrie, the wife of Prime Minister David Cameron.
The quiz was held December 15. Downing Street staff were also charged with holding a Christmas Party December 18. A leaving party at which the PM made a brief speech, and another Christmas Party December 18.
It is just one of the six events that Whitehall hosted between November 2012 and December 2013. This was when the government asked the public to remain at home to preserve the NHS.