Boris Johnson held a lockdown-busting party in his No 10 garden because he “felt sorry” for his hardworking staff, a Tory MP says.
Michael Fabricant defended the gathering in May 2020 – while other Conservatives criticised the prime minister – but admitted there might be a problem “from the rules point of view”.
But he came under fire for claiming the event “would not have increased the risk of contagion” and was an escape valve for “key workers” working in Downing Street.
Jacqui Smith, the former Labour home secretary was among a deluge of people who responded to tweets posted by the colourful MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire.
Ms Smith, who worked for a hospital trust in Birmingham during the first lockdown, told him: “Michael. Now you’re just making me angry.”
She said the argument would also have applied to staff at that trust, but added: “They wouldn’t have dreamt of organising a byob [bring your own booze] party!”
Speaking on BBC News, Mr Fabricant said “exhausted” No 10 staff were “working 18 hours” – and that Mr Johnson’s “failing” was “loyalty to his friends and loyalty to his staff”.
“From the rules point of view, that’s going to be decided by Sue Gray [the civil servant leading the inquiry] and the Metropolitan Police and we’ll have to see what happens,” he said.
“What I’m trying to explain is that Boris and others felt sorry for people who are working long, long hours and they were simply spilling out from their own offices into a secure garden, which is an integral part of number 10 Downing Street.
“And you know what? I’d rather have a prime minister who felt for his staff and all those hard-working people than some cold fish who really couldn’t care a toss about them.”
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