Tory MP Bob Seely apologises for attending lockdown-breaking barbeque with journalists

A Conservative MP has apologised after attending a barbeque where at least four other people were present against lockdown rules.

Bob Seely, the Tory MP for the Isle of Wight, attended the event in his constituency at a time when the public was told they could meet just one other person in a public space, not a garden.

The gathering was hosted by Freddy Gray, the Spectator magazine’s deputy editor, in the village of Seaview on the island.

Also in attendance were his wife, as well as Richard Tice, the chairman of the Brexit Party, and his partner, the political journalist Isabel Oakeshott.

Mr Seely told the Guardian newspaper, which broke the story, he had been unaware others would be present at the event.

But he apologised, saying he had made the wrong decision to stay when he realised Mr Gray was not alone.

His apology comes less than a fortnight after Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s most senior adviser, refused to apologise for making a 260 mile journey during lockdown.

Mr Johnson has stood by his chief aide, despite his further admission he took another 30 mile trip while in county Durham.

Mr Cummings said it had been to check his eyesight for the long drive back to London.

Mr Seely, who campaigned for the NHS coronavirus app to be trialled on the Isle of Wight, also admitted that he attended the barbecue with his partner.

In a statement, he said: “As the island’s MP, I have had a lot of dialogue with local residents over recent weeks. The vast majority of these have been over the phone or the internet. A handful of these – when requested – have been in person, at a 2-metre distance and outside.

“I was in Seaview two weeks ago undertaking constituency work. Whilst there, I agreed to visit someone who wanted to discuss the app. He is a journalist and an acquaintance. When I arrived, I saw another couple of people there, which I was not expecting. I thought about leaving, but felt that was perhaps overreacting.

“I apologise because, on balance, I called this wrong. It would have been better to have spoken to this person without any others nearby.”

He added: “At a sensible distance, we talked in the garden. The others left 15 minutes later, and I stayed to talk with this person [Gray] for a further 20 minutes or so. I then left. I didn’t go inside any building, nor did I have a drink. As it was after normal working hours, my girlfriend was with me.

“In the interests of being transparent, I am happy to confirm that, as the island’s MP, I have had a very small number of other such face-to-face conversations – again at a social distance – over recent weeks with other people on the Isle of Wight (such as council, media and public health representatives) when requested.”

Mr Gray said he had invited the MP to discuss the contact-tracing app after they disagreed about a recent article he had written.

He said the MP did not drink any alcohol and “didn’t stay long”.

Mr Tice and Ms Oakeshott both admitted they were there and made reference to testing their eyesight, in an apparent nod to Mr Cummings.

Mr Gray’s wife was also at the gathering, on Friday 22 May, as well as his family, according to the Guardian.

At the time, the government had eased lockdown measures slightly to allow one person to meet one other person from a different household in outdoor spaces, as long as they remained more than 2 metres apart.

When the measures were introduced, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, warned people should not meet in gardens.

The measures have been relaxed again since and now allow up to six people to meet outside, including in gardens.

Mr Gray said: “Bob didn’t stay long. I apologised for having caused him distress with my app article and he said no hard feelings. We talked about a follow-up piece on how the app was performing, as I moved on to white wine. Bob didn’t drink – though I believe he may have eaten one or possibly two sausages.”

Kirsty Brimelow QC, of Doughty Street Chambers, said: “Amendments on 13 May 2020 did relax the law, including a reasonable excuse as being in a public open space for ‘open-air recreation’ with one member of another household. However, it did not include a private garden.

“It is likely that going to a private barbecue would not have been a reasonable excuse.”

Former Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said it appeared Mr Seely had broken the rules, adding that his actions were “concerning” and should be taken seriously.

Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk