Downing Street parties: Sue Gray won’t wait for police inquiry

Jan 29, 2022
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The federal government is going through mounting stress over a number of occasions which can be alleged to have been held throughout lockdowns. Here’s what we learn about them and the restrictions in place on the time:

Boris Johnson introduced a plan to take the “first cautious steps” out of the lockdown that started in March 2020. However he stated individuals ought to proceed to “obey the foundations on social distancing and to implement these guidelines we’ll enhance the fines for the small minority who break them”.

Authorized restrictions on the time stated you can not depart your own home with no affordable excuse and authorities steerage was that you can meet one individual outdoors of your family in an out of doors setting whereas exercising.

A photograph from Might 2020 confirmed the prime minister and his workers with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard within the Downing Avenue backyard. When requested about it, Boris Johnson stated, “these individuals have been at work speaking about work”.

About 100 individuals have been invited by electronic mail to “socially distanced drinks within the No 10 backyard” on behalf of the prime minister’s principal personal secretary, Martin Reynolds.

Witnesses informed the BBC the PM and his spouse have been amongst about 30 individuals who attended.

Boris Johnson has confirmed he attended the occasion, saying he was there for 25 minutes and “believed implicitly that this was a piece occasion”.

On Boris Johnson’s birthday, as much as 30 individuals gathered within the Cupboard Room at No 10 to current the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Glad Birthday, in response to a report by ITV Information.

No 10 stated workers had “gathered briefly” to “want the prime minister a contented birthday”, including that he had been there “for lower than 10 minutes”.

Guidelines on the time banned most indoor gatherings involving greater than two individuals.

Boris Johnson introduced plans for a “important return to normality” in England by Christmas “by focused, native motion” as a substitute of nationwide lockdowns.

However he added that the timetable relied on “each one among us staying alert and appearing responsibly”.

With circumstances of coronavirus rising once more, the prime minister informed individuals in England that “we’re as soon as once more asking you to remain at house” as a brand new nationwide lockdown started.

He stated individuals ought to solely depart their houses “for work when you can’t make money working from home, for schooling, and for important actions and emergencies”. Indoor gatherings with different households have been banned, until they have been for work functions.

Sources informed the BBC that Downing Avenue workers members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson within the flat the place she and the prime minister stay. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the celebration happened.

A leaving occasion was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, the place individuals have been ingesting, and Mr Johnson made a speech, in response to sources.

The second nationwide lockdown ended after 4 weeks however Boris Johnson changed these restrictions with “powerful tiers to maintain this virus down”.

London was positioned in tier two, which banned two or extra individuals from totally different households from assembly indoors, until “moderately needed” for work functions.

The Division for Schooling has confirmed it had an workplace gathering to thank workers for his or her work throughout the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks have been introduced by those that attended and no outdoors visitors or help workers have been invited.

The Conservative Social gathering has admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” happened at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the staff of the celebration’s London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Meeting police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to talk to 2 individuals who attended the celebration.

The gathering at the Conservative Party headquarters was described as ‘raucous’
Picture caption The gathering on the Conservative Social gathering headquarters was described as ‘raucous’

Picture copyright by Day by day Mirror

A number of sources have informed the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 workers final yr. A photograph – printed by the Sunday Mirror – confirmed Boris Johnson collaborating and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Johnson was pictured in the No 10 library under a portrait of Margaret Thatcher
Picture caption Mr Johnson was pictured within the No 10 library underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher

Picture copyright by Sunday Mirror

London moved into the very best tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was well being secretary on the time, stated it was vital “everyone seems to be cautious” forward of the festive interval.

The Division for Transport apologised after confirming reviews of a celebration in its places of work that day, calling it “inappropriate” and an “error of judgment” by workers.

A leaving celebration was held on the Cupboard Workplace for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce – the staff liable for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.

Kate Josephs, now chief govt of Sheffield Metropolis Council, apologised for the occasion, saying she was “actually sorry that I did this and for the anger that folks will really feel because of this”.

Downing Avenue initially denied a report by the Day by day Mirror {that a} celebration happened in Downing Avenue.

Nevertheless, a video obtained by ITV Information confirmed the prime minister’s then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reviews of an occasion, saying: “This fictional celebration was a enterprise assembly and it was not socially distanced.”

Lockdown restrictions have been eased in England, with pubs and eating places allowed to reopen with outside service solely.

Nevertheless, working from house continued to be beneficial and socialising indoors with individuals from different households was not allowed. Assembly others open air was restricted to teams of six individuals or two households.

Two events have been held by Downing Avenue workers at No 10, the evening earlier than Prince Philip’s funeral.

One of many occasions was a leaving celebration for the PM’s then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the occasion and acknowledged it “mustn’t have occurred on the time that it did”.

Boris Johnson was not at both celebration.



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