Downing Street staff have been accused of holding two leaving parties in No 10 on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
The Telegraph reported the gatherings were made up of around 30 people, drinking alcohol and dancing to music until the early hours.
Restrictions at the time still banned indoor mixing between different households.
No 10 have not denied the events took place on 16 April 2021.
They did confirm Boris Johnson’s former director of communications, James Slack, “gave a farewell speech” to thank colleagues ahead of taking up a new role as deputy editor of The Sun newspaper.
Mr Johnson was not at either gathering as he was spending the weekend at his country estate, Chequers.
But the latest revelations come as he faces fury from his own party over attending a drinks gathering in the Downing Street garden during the first lockdown.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Slack’s leaving party coincided with another gathering in the No 10 basement for one of the PM’s personal photographers.
The newspaper said staff were sent to a nearby shop with a suitcase, that was brought back “filled with bottles of wine”.
During the basement gathering, sources claimed there was a “party atmosphere”, with a laptop placed on a photocopier with “music blaring out”.
The two parties are then said to have joined together in the No 10 garden and continued past midnight.
At the time, England was under ‘step two’ restrictions which stipulated that people could not socialise indoors, except with those from their household or support bubble. People could socialise outdoors in groups of up to six people or two households.
Another TWO at No 10 … 
Were there email invitations and were the leaving cards signed by BJ … 
