Johnson did not organise lockdown-busting party, says Number 10
Number 10 has been forced to deny that Boris Johnson organised a leaving party for a senior aide at the height of a Covid lockdown in 2020.
The Sunday Times revealed that Johnson was pictured pouring drinks for people, and himself, during a November 2020 leaving event for then director of communications Lee Cain.
There was also speculation that the Prime Minister himself organised the event for Cain, who was pushed to leave Downing Street after an internal feud with Johnson’s wife Carrie.
A source told the newspaper: “Boris came fumbling over, red box in tow, and he gathered the staff around the press office table, which did have bottles of alcohol on it. He said he wanted to say a few words for Lee and started pouring drinks for people and drinking himself. He toasted him.”
The Times reports that Number 10 does not dispute Johnson was at the event, but deny that the Prime Minister was the organiser.
It comes as survey by JLPartners found 16 per cent of Brits use positive language when describing the prime minister, while more than 70 per cent speak about Johnson negatively.
The Prime Minister will tomorrow give an address to parliament to address the police fine he received last week for attending his own work birthday party in Number 10 during strict Covid restrictions.
More fines could be on the way for Johnson as the Metropolitan Police continues its investigation into breaches of Covid rules in Downing Street and Whitehall.
Energy minister Greg Hands today said Johnson will “have his say” on partygate and “outline his version of events”.
Hands said he did not believe Johnson should resign if pictures emerge of the Prime Minister handing drinks out at Lee Cain’s farewell bash.
“I think the prime minister is getting on with the job, he’s delivered, and the government has delivered, in anything from the vaccination programme through [to] the strong support for Ukraine,” he said.
“There is a police investigation going on and we’ll have to see what develops, but as I say the prime minister will be in parliament this week, explaining and facing questions from MPs about what has happened.”