Fresh partygate claims emerge following PM fine
Labour claim Boris Johnson “deliberately misled the British people at every turn” following fresh allegations about lockdown parties.
The prime minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined earlier this week for breaking lockdown rules for Johnson’s birthday in 2020.
Whilst Johnson is understood to have attended half of the incident being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, Labour claim that this is the least problematic of them.
A source told The Sunday Times that there was another event in November 2020, which was “instigated” by the prime minister for the outgoing Number 10 director of communications Lee Cain.
They told the paper: “He [Johnson] said he wanted to say a few words for Lee and started pouring drinks for people and drinking himself. He toasted him.”
The source then said Johnson returned to his flat, where a second gathering involving his wife and her friends was happening that evening.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said that “if the latest reports are true”, it means “not only did the prime minister attend parties, but he had a hand in instigating at least one of them”.
Peter Hennessy, a historian and member of the upper house of parliament, said Johnson had become “the great debaser in modern times of decency in public and political life”.
“I think we’re in the most severe constitutional crisis involving a prime minister that I can remember,” Hennessy told BBC Radio.
“The prime minister sealed his place in British history as the first lawbreaker to have occupied the premiership,” he said.