'100 invited' to Downing Street garden lockdown drinks

Controversial: Politics & Govt Politics & Govt: In The News
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Witnesses have told the BBC the PM and his wife attended the gathering on 20 May 2020. But Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he was among those there.

An email, revealed by ITV News, invited people to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening”. It was sent when lockdown restrictions were still in place. Twelve days later - on 1 June - rules in England were relaxed to allow groups of up to six people to meet outside.

Downing Street declined to comment as it said the gathering - like others reported to have happened under coronavirus restrictions during 2020 - is now being looked into as part of an ongoing independent investigation.

The Liberal Democrats have called for a police investigation, and a Met spokesperson said the force was “aware of widespread reporting relating to alleged breaches of the Health Protection Regulations at Downing Street on 20 May 2020 and is in contact with the Cabinet Office”, which oversees government policy.

ITV News has now published what appears to be the full email invitation sent on behalf of Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds. It has the subject line “Socially Distanced Drinks! [OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE-No 10 ONLY]”.

“After what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening,” the email says. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze."**

On the same day as the gathering, the then Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, gave the Downing Street coronavirus briefing - in which he confirmed another 363 people in the UK had died with Covid in the previous 24 hours.

At the briefing, he told the public: “You can meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor, public place provided that you stay two metres apart.”

In a Twitter post on the day of the gathering, when it was 25C (77F) in London, the Metropolitan Police reminded people they could only relax or exercise outside on their own, with their own household or one person from another household. rule breaking

The Metropolitan Police said it was in contact with the government over “widespread reporting relating to alleged breaches” of Covid rules.

Apparently, this is ANOTHER No 10 party, 5 days after the already-reported pizza party - how many more … :question:

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Sounds like they were having a whale of a time.

I think he’s not denying it because they had so many parties he can’t remember which ones he was at

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Senior civil servant Sue Gray is investigating whether there were parties that breached the rules. There are allegations over a series of different dates in 2020:

15 May: A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said, “those people were at work talking about work”.

20 May: About 100 people were invited by email to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening”. Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended. Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he was there.

13 November: Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place.

27 November: A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.

10 December: The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.

14 December: The Conservative Party admitted an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party’s London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee.

15 December: Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo - published by the Sunday Mirror - shows Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.

16 December: The Department for Transport has apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices, calling it “inappropriate” and an “error of judgment” by staff.

18 December: Downing Street originally denied a report by the the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street. However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister’s then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”

… and counting … :024:

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A disgraceful series of episodes, they should hang their heads in shame, although I doubt they will… :rage:

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Seconded! :raised_hand_with_fingers_splayed: :raised_hand_with_fingers_splayed:

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I can’t believe he has the gall to address the nation with ,how we should all be self distancing,etc,etc, then he himself does the complete opposite, how can you trust someone like that.

I can actually understand now why people want him out of office,

Seriously, is there any of that lot we can trust.

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I watch NBC, ABC and Sky News. this morning Sky News is about noting but the March 2020 party. I personally think they should deal with it and get a long. Of, course I could say the same about my government and certain issues or non issues.

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Hi

I am a member of other places for Ex Government Employees.

They are out to get Boris and two others.

More will come out.

It is not just staff, Sarah Vine and others are hammering him.

I have never known this before, there were rules and traditions which were not broken.

Boris has broken them all and the battle is now on.

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Too much information to list here so, if interested, follow the link … :wink:

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The whole lot of them need to take a good hard look in the mirror and then hang their heads in shame. You cannot tell me they did not know this if not technically “wrong” these “get togethers” would not been seen in the best of lights.

And they also had to expect with so many people involved not excluding the “tattle tailing” going on it would come into the public arena. Maybe the plan is simply throw so many wrong doings at us at the same time we loose track which is kinda what I am doing.

None of them are worth my shoe leather to vote.

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How come the date is missing from the email?

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Obviously the government didn’t think covid 19 was as serious as they led us to believe. It makes you wonder what else they have/are lied/lying about…
And people actually trust these scoundrels and the ‘Experts’ they are employing to give us their biased opinions.

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What a shambles. How on earth are we meant to trust any of them? :frowning:

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I think that more and more we don’t, even those of us that supported him in the beginning.
I think its only a matter of time before he’s replaced.

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Question is, who with ruthio? Preferably not anybody at the parties…

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Maybe “Dishy” Rishi?

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Boris Johnson has admitted attending an event in the Downing Street garden during the first lockdown and apologised to the nation while arguing the gathering could “technically” be said to have not broken any rules.

In a much-anticipated and carefully worded statement just before prime minister’s questions, Johnson acknowledged the mass public anger after an email emerged inviting No 10 staff to the event on 20 May 2020, which was billed as social.

“Mr Speaker, I want to apologise,” he told a packed Commons. “I know that millions of people across this country have made extraordinary sacrifices over the last 18 months. I know the anguish that they have been through. I know the rage they feel with me, and with the government I lead, when they think that in Downing Street itself the rules were not being properly followed by the people who make the rules.”

Johnson said that on the evening concerned he joined the event for about 25 minutes from around 6pm, saying that, with the No 10 garden being used as “an extension of the office” amid lockdown, he believed it was a work event.

“With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside,” Johnson added, while arguing that the event “could be said, technically, to fall within the guidance” of the time.

Johnson said he accepted many would disagree, adding: “To them, and to this house, I offer my heartfelt apology.”

Apology, schmology - BJ is a repetetive rulebreaker and serial liar … :019:

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Think he will now have to resign.

Some are saying by the end of the week.

Think he is so stupid it well take a little longer.

A police investigation into a sitting PM the mind boggles.

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“I offer my heartfelt apologies…”

Never thought I’d hear those words.

Should he resign? Yes undoubtedly.

Will he? Probably not.

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He certainly sounded genuinely contrite, but then don’t we all when we’ve been found out… :sob:

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