Certainly one of Boris Johnson’s most senior Quantity 10 aides is preventing for his job after it emerged Downing Road workers reacted with horror to him inviting them to ‘socially distanced drinks’ when England was topic to strict Covid guidelines.
Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal personal secretary, reportedly invited greater than 100 Downing Road workers to an occasion within the Quantity 10 backyard on Might 20, 2020.
An e-mail obtained by ITV Information confirmed he had invited workers to ‘profit from the beautiful climate’ and to ‘carry your individual booze’.
Messages proven to the BBC revealed that some Quantity 10 staff had been shocked by the invite.
One workers member who obtained the e-mail wrote a message to a different official on the time by which they mentioned ‘is that this for actual?’.
One other comparable message, seen by the BBC, said: ‘Um. Why is Martin encouraging a mass gathering within the backyard?’
England was below robust coronavirus restrictions banning teams from assembly socially open air when the e-mail was despatched.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it’s speaking to the Cupboard Workplace concerning the newest Quantity 10 ‘celebration’ claims.
Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal personal secretary, reportedly invited greater than 100 Downing Road workers to an occasion within the Quantity 10 backyard on Might 20, 2020
An e-mail obtained by ITV Information confirmed he had invited workers to ‘profit from the beautiful climate’ and to ‘carry your individual booze’
Mr Reynolds was additionally photographed alongside Mr Johnson at a ‘cheese and wine’ gathering within the Quantity 10 backyard on Might 15, 2020
The declare of a ‘socially distanced drinks’ occasion being held within the Quantity 10 backyard on Might 20, 2020, was initially made by Dominic Cummings in a weblog submit printed final week.
ITV Information then printed the e-mail from Mr Reynolds final evening, with the broadcaster reporting that roughly 40 workers had gathered within the backyard on that night.
Based on ITV, Mr Reynolds’ e-mail to greater than 100 Downing Road staff mentioned: ‘Hello all, After what has been an extremely busy interval we thought it could be good to profit from the beautiful climate and have some socially distanced drinks within the No10 backyard this night. Please be a part of us from 6pm and produce your individual booze!’
A number of studies have instructed the Prime Minister attended the occasion along with his spouse, Carrie Johnson.
The Conservative Occasion chief sidestepped questions yesterday about whether or not he attended the night gathering allegedly organised by Mr Reynolds.
Sue Grey, a senior Cupboard Workplace official, is presently conducting a probe into quite a lot of allegations of rule-busting occasions in Whitehall in the course of the pandemic, centred on an alleged Christmas ‘celebration’ in Quantity 10 on December 18, 2020.
Quantity 10 mentioned yesterday it could not be commenting on the Might 20, 2020, claims whereas Ms Grey carries out her inquiry.
Nevertheless, there may be mounting stress on Mr Johnson because the leaked e-mail has reignited a livid political row over alleged rule-breaking.
There at the moment are rising questions over Mr Reynolds’ future after Downing Road yesterday denied studies that he’s to be moved to a different submit following the claims.
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman informed reporters yesterday morning – earlier than the e-mail was printed yesterday night – that Mr Reynolds was staying in his present position.
Labour is now calling on Mr Johnson to ‘come clear’ and to ‘cease hiding behind’ a Cupboard Workplace inquiry into allegations of rule-busting gatherings in Whitehall
The spokesman mentioned: ‘The Prime Minister has full confidence in his workforce. There isn’t a change in that submit.’
Mr Reynolds was additionally photographed alongside Mr Johnson at a ‘cheese and wine’ gathering within the Quantity 10 backyard on Might 15, 2020.
Downing Road has insisted that occasion was work-related and no guidelines had been damaged.
Mr Reynolds was appointed to the position of principal personal secretary to the Prime Minister in October 2019.
He beforehand served because the Authorities’s ambassador to Libya and was the principal personal secretary to the Overseas Secretary from December 2014 to January 2018.
He was the deputy excessive commissioner in Pretoria between 2011 and 2014 and has additionally labored in different roles in London, Brussels and Singapore.
Earlier than he joined the Overseas Workplace he labored as a Metropolis lawyer.
The PM’s spokesman yesterday additionally refused to be drawn on studies that Mr Johnson had attended the Might 20 occasion.
He mentioned: ‘There may be an impartial course of happening to look into this, led by Sue Grey, and I can not remark additional whereas that’s happening.’
The-then tradition secretary Oliver Dowden used a Downing Road press convention on Might 20, 2020, to remind the general public they might ‘meet one individual outdoors of your family in an out of doors, public place supplied that you just keep two metres aside’.
Labour is now calling on Mr Johnson to ‘come clear’ and to ‘cease hiding behind’ Ms Grey’s inquiry.
Angela Rayner, deputy Labour chief, mentioned: ‘Boris Johnson’s deflections and distractions are not tenable.
‘Sue Grey is a extremely revered civil servant who will probably be finishing up an investigation to the very best commonplace.
‘However the reality is out now. Not solely did Boris Johnson know concerning the events, he attended them and he lied.
‘It is time for the Prime Minister to cease hiding behind Whitehall inquiries and eventually come clear.’