Boris Johnson’s failure to answer reports he attended a lockdown-breaching party in Downing Street “speaks volumes”, Angela Rayner has said.
After asking him to make a statement on the matter, the Labour deputy leader told the Commons that his absence was “incredibly disappointing, but not unsurprising”, adding that “he can run but he can’t hide”.
Her comments came after the prime minister expressed “full confidence” in Martin Reynolds, the civil servant who organised the alleged gathering in Downing Street on 20 May 2020.
No 10 has so far refused to comment on the new party claim. An email, sent by Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary Mr Reynolds – and leaked to ITV News yesterday – said 100 people were invited. It is understood that up 30 people attended the event, with multiple sources saying the PM was among them.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Keir Starmer has called on the prime minister to “stop lying” to the British public and to “finally come clean”.
Welsh minister condemns PM over lockdown party
The prime minister is not just being slated in Westminster.
At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan condemned the prime minister over reports he broke lockdown rules by joining a party in his Downing Street garden on 20 May 2020.
“If we remember back to what was happening in May 2020, it was about the most acute time in the whole crisis,” Baroness Morgan said.
“I just think about the sacrifices that so many people in Wales made at that time. Sacrifices of not being able to say goodbye face to face to loved ones in hospitals, sacrifices people made in terms of not being able to leave their homes to see loved ones, not being able to reach out for the support that so many people wanted at that time.
“To have that juxtaposed with a situation where within Downing Street a party was going on really defies belief.”
Best lines from Downing Street party debate
Here are some of the best lines from this afternoon’s debate on the new party allegations against the prime minister.
– Former Labour minister Dame Angela Eagle told the Commons: “Perhaps it would be faster if Sue Gray were to investigate the days there weren’t parties.”
– SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “The harsh reality is that people round these islands watched loved ones dying, and missing funerals, and the PM and his staff partied behind the walls of his private garden.”
– Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope asked paymaster general Michael Ellis: “Why can’t all the dirty linen be washed at once? Why are we getting this drip, drip feed of parties? Surely the civil service must have known that there was a party on May 20 and they should have referred it already to the inquiry.”
Watch: Rayner says PM’s absence from Commons ‘speaks volumes’
Earlier this afternoon, Labour’s Angela Rayner said Boris Johnson’s decision not to appear in the Commons to address his alleged lockdown breach “speaks volumes”.
Watch her statement here:
MP overcome with emotion in tribute to mother-in-law who died ‘alone’ of Covid
In the most moving moment of this afternoon’s debate on the No 10 drinks party, a DUP polician spoke about his mother-in-law’s death from Covid-19.
Jim Shannon MP was overcome with emotion as he discussed how she had died “alone”.
“In Northern Ireland we reached the milestone of 3,000 deaths due to Covid just last week. Including my mother-in-law, who died alone,” he said.
Met Police warned public against breaching lockdown on day of Downing Street party
On 20 May 2020, the Metropolitan Police reminded Britons they were only allowed to meet up with one person outdoors.
The same day, dozens of people are thought to have gathered for an event in the garden at Downing Street.
Aisha Rimi has more details:
Boris Johnson is stepping out of the frying pan, into the fire
The leadership qualities needed in times like these include a fine sense of diplomacy, a natural talent for prioritising, and a flair for the bigger picture. It is not clear that he has any of them, writes Marie Le Conte.
Read Marie’s full piece here:
Watch: PM held No10 party because he ‘felt sorry’ for staff, says Tory MP
Tory MP Michael Fabricant has taken an unusual position over reports that the prime minister attended an illegal gathering in Downing Street in May 2020.
Boris Johnson’s “failing” was “loyalty to his friends and loyalty to his staff”, Mr Fabricant said.
Listen to the MP for Lichfield’s full comments here:
Boris Johnson ‘running scared’ from parliament, say Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats have accused the prime minister of “running scared” from parliament, after he failed to turn up to answer an urgent question from Labour about an illegal gathering at Downing Street.
Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrats’ chief whip, said: “Boris Johnson cannot be allowed to hide the truth from the public and parliament any longer.
“He is running scared of today’s debate, while using Sue Gray’s inquiry as a smokescreen and hoping the issue will just go away.”
Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports:
Protocol solution must be found before NI assembly election, Ireland’s EU commissioner says
Ireland’s EU commissioner has said the UK and Brussels must find a solution to the row over Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol before the assembly elections later this year.
Mairead McGuinness, the EU financial services commissioner, said on Tuesday that she hopes the appointment of Liz Truss to the role of Brexit negotiator will bring some “pragmatism to the situation”.
She said: “They probably reflect the current view, if you like, as was held by her predecessor, but, on the other hand, I’m hoping that Liz Truss will also bring some pragmatism to the situation.”
The senior EU official said Northern Ireland needs a solution to the protocol impasse “before we get into campaign mode for the assembly elections”.
PM’s absence from Commons ‘speaks volumes’, says Rayner
Angela Rayner has just asked the prime minister to make a statement about allegations a large event was held in the garden at Downing Street on 20 May 2020.
Boris Johnson, however, was not in the Commons to respond. “His absence speaks volumes,” Ms Rayner said.
Instead, it fell to Michael Ellis MP, the paymaster general, to speak for the government. He said it “would not be appropriate” to comment on an ongoing investigation.
With his words drowned out by the opposition benches, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs to keep the noise down. “He’s got a tough job as it is. Don’t make it harder,” he said, referring to Mr Ellis.
