The situation of the hard-pressed Prime Minister may have gone from bad to worse.
The Prime Minister’s staff is already being investigated for 12 gatherings that may have been a breach of the strict coronary restrictions in the country, and on Monday night writes ITV that a birthday party has also been held for Boris Johnson in Downing Street.
Surprise party
Johnson’s wife, Carrie Johnson, is said to have been involved in arranging the company, which is said to have been a surprise party for the prime minister. The birthday party will have been held on 19 June 2020.
– SURPRISE PARTY: The Prime Minister’s wife Carrie Johnson is said to have arranged the birthday party on 19 June 2020. Here they are pictured together during a football match in July 2021. Photo: Frank Augstein
–
Indoor social gatherings were banned in Britain at this time. Only three months earlier, Johnson had himself tweeted praised a girl who had postponed her birthday party, and called her “a good example for all of us.”
The Prime Minister’s Office denied to ITV that there was a gathering indoors, but to Sky News A spokesman said a group at work in Downing Street met at the office to wish the Prime Minister congratulations on the day after he visited a school in Hertfordshire.
– He was there for less than ten minutes, the spokesperson says.
Up to 30 people must have participated in the birthday celebration, writes Sky News.
The Prime Minister’s secretary, Martin Reynolds, is also said to have been present during the birthday party, writes ITV. Reynolds is the man who in May invited 100 Downing Street employees to a party, where guests were asked to bring their own alcohol.
– CLOSED AGAIN: As a result of the omikron variant, the government introduced new restrictions in the UK in December 2021. Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP
–
Awaiting review report
The case comes on top of the scandal that has been named “Partygate”. This week, the official, Sue Gray, will publish her report on the recurring alleged incidents.
The case has aroused strong anger both among the population and also in the Prime Minister’s own ranks. Many are awaiting the report to decide whether to make a motion of censure against the Prime Minister.
Facts about the garden parties in Downing Street
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the government apparatus in Britain must answer for several alleged rallies while the country was shut down. There have been allegations of twelve incidents in 2020 and one in 2021.
* May 15, 2020: Garden party in Downing Street. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie, former chief adviser Dominic Cummings and Johnson’s private secretary Martin Reynolds are pictured in a photograph leaked to The Guardian. They are sitting at a table in the garden with wine and cheese in front of them. 15 other people were also pictured. Johnson has called it a working meeting.
* 20 May 2020: Hagefest. A leaked email from Reynolds to 100 Downing Street employees invited to an evening gathering, where guests were to bring their own wine / drink.
* November 13, 2020: Farewell party. Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a speech at an event for outgoing communications director Lee Cain.
* 13 November 2020: Party in the private home. It is claimed that Johnson’s then-fiancé invited to parties at the private residence in Downing Street. A spokesman has called the allegation “just nonsense”.
* November 25, 2020: Drinks with employees in the Ministry of Finance, started spontaneously after a working meeting.
* November 27, 2020: Farewell to another senior employee in Downing Street. Johnson is said to have spoken.
* December 10, 2020: Party under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. Former Minister of Education Gavin Williamson is said to have attended.
* December 14, 2020: Party with mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and staff at the Tory party’s campaign headquarters. Bailey has since apologized and acknowledged poor judgment.
* December 15, 2020: Quiz in Downing Street. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pictured with colleagues, where one was wearing Christmas tinsel and another was wearing a Santa hat. Downing Street admitted that Johnson “briefly” participated in the quiz, but says it was a virtual event.
* 16 December 2020: Employees in the civil service at the Ministry of Transport drank alcohol and danced after working hours in the office. A spokesman later said it was a misjudgment, and apologized.
* December 17, 2020: Christmas party at the government office. Invitations are said to have been sent out by the secretary to Simon Case, one of the members of the government. In the digital calendars, the event was marked as “Christmas party”.
* December 18, 2020: Christmas party in Downing Street. The incident that triggered the investigations into parties during the shutdown was allegations that a party was arranged for the employees of Downing Street. Boris Johnson should not have participated. His spokeswoman Allegra Stratton quit her job after a video clip of her joking about the incident at a quasi-press conference was leaked to the press.
* April 16, 2021: Farewell parties for two Downing Street employees. Two different with a total of 30 participants who later joined forces for one and the same party. Alcohol was allegedly drunk and guests danced to music, according to witnesses. Boris Johnson was not present. The festivities took place the night before Queen Elizabeth had to sit alone at her husband’s Prince Philips’ funeral.
Source: NTB
–
–
The background is that Johnson’s employees – as well as Johnson himself – are said to have held a number of larger gatherings and garden parties in the Prime Minister’s residence during periods when England was closed down and there were very strict restrictions on social gatherings.
The Prime Minister has admitted that he was present at one of the parties in May 2020, but claims that it was actually a working meeting.
British media have clearly highlighted the contrast between the parties and the major consequences of the closures for most Englishmen – including the fact that Queen Elizabeth had to sit alone at the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip.
One of the gatherings is said to have taken place the day before the funeral, something 10 Downing Street has already regretted.
The case has already led to a number of other ripple effects for the Conservative Party, and could cost Boris Johnson his job.
The case is being updated.
–
:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/H4TPCHMIDBF5HMX4Y7NUOHYQSE.png "Colombia is one of the countries that exports the most musicians from Latin America")