Downing Street insiders have described chaotic mid-lockdown parties dubbed “Wine-Time Fridays” where bins would overflow with empty bottles of alcohol and No10 would be left a “mess”.
Speaking to BBC Panorama three individuals described gatherings they felt were condoned by Boris Johnson as he was “grabbing a glass for himself”.
The current and former staffers said the culture was set by Mr Johnson himself, claiming he “wanted to be liked” and for staff to be able to “let their hair down”.
The damaging details follow the publication of a leaked photograph showing Mr Johnson raising a glass at a leaving drinks event for his former spin doctor at the height of England’s second lockdown.
Earlier, Downing Street has denied claims the prime minister suggested to Sue Gray she should drop plans to publish her long-awaited report into the Partygate scandal during a “secret meeting” last month.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said: “The prime minister did not ask her to drop the report or not proceed with the report.”
Sinn Fein president accuses Boris Johnson of using NI Protocol as ‘distraction’
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has accused Boris Johnson of using the Northern Ireland Protocol as “distraction” from his own domestic problems.
The Sinn Fein leadership team is at Westminster to stress a need to re-establish a powersharing administration in Belfast. The DUP is blocking the formation of an executive in protest at the post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The government last week announced an intent to table legislation to unilaterally scrap parts of the protocol deal it signed with the EU.
“We’ve made the case very clearly that Boris Johnson needs to stop playing games, stop using Ireland as either a bargaining chip in this confrontation with the European system, or indeed as a distraction in his domestic affairs,” Ms McDonald told reporters at Westminster.
“We need good faith. We need Boris Johnson and his government to act honourably. Above all else, we need a very resolute international community that is determined to protect the progress of the Good Friday Agreement and peace in Ireland.”
The republican leader added: “We don’t believe that any political figure can be given anywhere to hide. We need the executive formed.
“This is a matter of urgency and the idea that anybody within the British system would give cover to the DUP to prevent the formation of a government for us is unacceptable and we’re setting that out very, very clearly.”
Sadiq Khan asks Met Police for ‘detailed explanation’ of Partygate decisions
Sadiq Khan has written to acting Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Stephen House to seek a “detailed explanation” of the force’s decisions over individual cases in the Downing Street partygate investigation.
A spokeswoman for London Mayor said: “Sadiq has today written to the acting commissioner of the Met to seek a detailed explanation of the factors which were taken into account by investigating officers when decisions were made about whether to take action in individual cases in the Downing Street ‘partygate’ investigation.
“He has asked them to take steps to also reassure Londoners by making this explanation to them directly, because he is concerned that the trust and confidence of Londoners in the police is being further eroded by this lack of clarity.
“The mayor has been clear he cannot and would not intervene in operational decisions, however with the investigation now complete, he has made this request in accordance with the Policing Protocol Order 2011 paragraph 23(g).”
Tory MP slams his colleagues for defending ‘indefensible’ Boris Johnson
SNP calls for Tory leader in Scotland to resubmit no confidence letter
The SNP has called on the leader of the Scottish Conservatives to resubmit a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
Douglas Ross was one of the Tory MPs who rebelled against Boris Johnson in the wake of partygate at the start of the year, calling for the PM to step down.
However, Mr Ross, who is also an MSP in the Scottish Parliament, made a U-turn shortly afterwards, instead insisting there was a need for stability at the top of Government during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The SNP’s deputy Westminster leader, Kirsten Oswald, said Mr Ross is “weak and unprincipled” in his actions over the matter.
She said: “The photo evidence has destroyed Boris Johnson’s excuses and exposed his lies. It is now beyond doubt that the Prime Minister was partying during lockdown, breaking his own laws, and repeatedly lying to the public.
“Douglas Ross doesn’t need any more explanations. He needs to grow a backbone and resubmit his letter of no confidence without further delay.
“By constantly flip-flopping over Boris Johnson’s future, the Scottish Tory leader has blown any remaining credibility – and shown himself to be a weak and unprincipled, lame duck leader.
“The Scottish Tories have run out of excuses. The longer they leave Boris Johnson in office the more damage they will do to public trust in this out-of-touch UK Government.
“Tory MSPs should speak out like they overwhelmingly did in January. It is time for them to do the decent thing and speak out again.”
No plans to deploy Royal Navy ships to Black Sea
The UK has “no current plans” to deploy Royal Navy warships to the Black Sea to help supplies of Ukrainian food leave Odesa.
The idea of a “protective corridor” from Odesa was raised by Lithuania’s foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis with foreign secretary Liz Truss, The Times reported, with the potential for a “coalition of the willing” to provide ships.
Globally important food supplies from Ukraine have been blocked since Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded, with the Russian navy blockading Odesa.
A UK government spokesman said: “(Vladimir) Putin’s despicable blockade of Odesa is preventing food getting to people who need it.
“We will continue to work intensively with international partners to find ways to resume the export of grain from Ukraine.
“However, there are no current plans to deploy UK warships to the Black Sea.”
No 10 staff watched in ‘disbelief’ as PM told Commons all rules were followed
Downing Street insiders have claimed they looked at each other in “disbelief” as Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that are rules were followed in No 10.
Speaking to BBC Panorama three individuals described chaotic mid-lockdown parties they felt were condoned by the prime minister as he was “grabbing a glass for himself”.
The current and former staffers said the culture was set by Mr Johnson himself, claiming he “wanted to be liked” and for staff to be able to “let their hair down”.
The damaging details follow the publication of a leaked photograph showing Mr Johnson raising a glass at a leaving drinks event for his former spin doctor at the height of England’s second lockdown.
Asked about the prime minister’s early claim that all guidance and rules was followed in No 10, one staffer told the BBC: “We were watching it all live and we just sort of looked at each other in disbelief, like why? Why is he denying it?
Our politics correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports:
PM invited to World Cup
Boris Johnson has been invited to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by the country’s leader.
During a bilateral meeting in Downing Street, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said it was a “special year” for his country as hosts of the global football competition.
He said: “I invite the Prime Minister to come and see the World Cup. England have a very strong young team.”
The prime minister replied: “Yes. Well, we have got a tough group.”
The Qatari leader said: “A very interesting group. And also on top, we might have Scotland and Wales as well.”
England has been drawn in the same group as Iran, the US and the winner of the play-offs between Wales and either Scotland or Ukraine.
Attorney general criticises ‘risk adverse’ government legal advisers
Attorney general Suella Braverman has criticised the government’s legal advisers for at times being too “risk averse” and taking a “computer says no approach”, Downing Street has said.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The attorney general updated Cabinet on a review of the Government Legal Department.
“She said overall performance was high, however there were incidences where advice was too risk adverse or took a computer says no approach to dealing with challenging policy areas.
“Following the review the Government Legal Department has received revised guidance to ensure they are more attuned to the government’s desire to tackle difficult and longstanding issues.”
He said Ms Braverman did not give specific examples but said multiple departments had received advice that was “more risk averse than was needed and didn’t reflect the sort of risk appetite that ministers had”.
Normal for Iran to ask Nazanin to sign confession to secure release, minister says
It was normal for Iran to ask Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to sign a confession as part of the conditions of her release, a minister has said.
“Nothing about the cruel treatment by Iran of detainees can be described as acceptable, including at the point of release,” Foreign Office minister Amanda Milling told the Commons.
“We will continue to raise human rights concerns with the Islamic Republic of Iran, including over its detention of foreign nationals.”
She added: “The government of Iran must end its practise of unfairly detaining British and other foreign nationals and we will continue to work with like-minded international partners to achieve this end.”
PM did not approve evacuation of Afghanistan animal charity – No 10
No 10 has insisted that the prime minister did not give the green light to the evacuation of the Nowzad animal charity when asked for a plausible alternative explanation.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The prime minister had no role in authorising individual evacuations from Afghanistan during that operation, that includes Nowzad staff and animals.
“At no point did the prime minister instruct staff to take any particular course of action.”
