Boris Johnson: Renewed calls for PM to resign after reports Number 10 staff partied on eve of Prince Philip's funeral
In fresh claims in the "partygate" crisis, it is alleged that around 30
Downing Street staff drank alcohol into the early hours at two events on
16 April. One attendee is reported to have been sent shopping with a
suitcase to fill with bottles of wine.
Downing Street has failed to deny reports that two parties took place at
Number 10 the night before Prince Philip's COVID-restricted funeral -
at a time when indoor mixing was banned.
In fresh claims that will further fuel the "partygate" crisis
threatening the prime minister's political future, it is alleged that
Downing Street staff drank alcohol into the early hours at two leaving
events in April last year.
These are reported to have been held the night before the Queen was
forced to sit by herself at her husband's funeral at St George's Chapel
in Windsor.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey repeated his call for Boris Johnson to resign in the wake of the latest allegations.
"The Queen sitting alone, mourning the loss of her husband, was the defining image of lockdown," he posted on Twitter.
"Not because she is the Queen, but because she was just another
person, mourning alone like too many others. Whilst she mourned, Number
10 partied. Johnson must go."
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said she had "no words for the
culture and behaviours at Number 10", adding: "The buck stops with the
PM."
At the time of the newly-alleged parties, the country was in a period
of national mourning, and England was still under strict COVID rules
that banned socialising with other households indoors unless you had
formed a support bubble.
People in England were also prevented from meeting outdoors in groups larger than six, or from more than two households.
Those
coronavirus restrictions also limited Prince Philip's funeral to just
30 attendees, as with other services, while only 15 were allowed to
gather for wakes.
The Daily Telegraph reported that one Number 10 leaving event on 16
April last year was held for James Slack, the prime minister's departing
director of communications, while another was for one of Mr Johnson's
personal photographers.
According to the newspaper, the gatherings lasted beyond midnight and saw alcohol drunk with guests dancing along to music.
The
events were held in two different parts of the Downing Street complex
but later joined together in the garden with around 30 people attending
both gatherings combined, it is claimed.
The newspaper's account
of the parties also claimed that one attendee was sent to a nearby
supermarket store with a suitcase to be filled with bottles of wine and
brought back to Downing Street.
Another staff member was said to
have acted as a DJ at one of the events, while another who was present
is reported to have expressed fears that too much wine was being spilled
on a carpet.
One eyewitness also told the Daily Telegraph that a
staff member used and broke a child's swing in the garden belonging to
Mr Johnson's son, Wilfred.
Downing Street did not directly deny the reports, although it is
reported that the prime minister was not in Number 10 that day and was
instead at Chequers, his official country retreat.
Commenting on the leaving event for Mr Slack, a Number 10
spokesperson said: "On this individual's last day he gave a farewell
speech to thank each team for the work they had done to support him,
both those who had to be in the office for work and on a screen for
those working from home."
The fresh claims are the first time that parties are alleged to have been held in Downing Street in 2021.
The prime minister is already battling accusations that Christmas parties were held in Number 10 in December 2020.
A fifth Conservative MP demanded the prime minister's resignation on Thursday night over the "partygate" scandal.
Andrew
Bridgen, the North West Leicestershire MP and a committed Brexiteer who
supported Mr Johnson for the Conservative leadership in 2019, said
there was "currently a moral vacuum at the heart of our government".
He
confirmed he had written a letter of no confidence in the prime
minister to Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory
MPs.
If a total of 54 Conservative MPs submit letters, Mr Johnson will be forced to face a confidence vote over his leadership.
Multiple
allegations of COVID rule-breaking in both Downing Street and other
government buildings are currently subject to an investigation by Sue
Gray, a senior civil servant.
However, she is not expected to report on her findings until next week at the earliest.
