A former No 10 supply, who labored on the UK Prime Minister’s official residence all by 2020, confirmed to CNN that such gatherings often occurred. The supply stated different folks referred to them as “wine-time Fridays,” however the supply didn’t personally attend the occasions.
Revelations of quite a few events at Downing Street — together with one on the night time earlier than Prince Philip’s funeral final April — have triggered a significant political scandal for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and prompted questions on how lengthy he can survive as chief of the governing Conservative celebration.
When contacted by CNN, Downing Street didn’t deny the reporting. It referred CNN to an ongoing inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray into such gatherings.
“There is an ongoing investigation to ascertain the information across the nature of gatherings, together with attendance, setting and the aim as regards to adherence to the steerage on the time. The findings shall be made public in the end,” a Downing Street spokesperson stated Friday.
‘I’m actually sorry’
The information comes as the previous director normal of the UK authorities Covid-19 taskforce Kate Josephs apologized for holding workplace leaving drinks on December 17 2020, whereas the UK was in lockdown.
“I gathered with colleagues that had been at work that day, with drinks, in our workplace within the Cabinet Office, to mark my leaving the Civil Service,” Josephs stated Friday in an announcement posted on her Twitter profile.
Josephs, who’s now Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, added: “I’m actually sorry I did this and for the anger that individuals will really feel because of this. Sheffield has suffered drastically throughout this pandemic, and I apologise unreservedly.”
In her assertion, Josephs additionally stated that “the particular information of this occasion shall be thought-about within the context of the Cabinet Office investigation. I didn’t attend any occasions at 10 Downing St.”
The UK authorities steerage on the time stated: “Although there are exemptions for work functions, it’s essential to not have a piece Christmas lunch or celebration, the place that may be a primarily social exercise and isn’t in any other case permitted by the principles in your tier.”
Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen grew to become the newest politician to demand Johnson’s resignation on Saturday. He advised British broadcaster Sky News that the PM’s place was now “untenable” and that Johnson ought to “name it a day for the great of the nation.”