A former senior adviser to Britain’s Boris Johnson mentioned on Monday he was keen to “swear beneath oath” that the prime minister knew a celebration was being held at his residence throughout a COVID-19 lockdown, accusing him of mendacity to parliament.
British media have reported that not less than 11 gatherings happened at 10 Downing Road – the prime minister’s official residence and workplace – or in different authorities departments between Could 2020 and April 2021, when COVID-19 guidelines restricted how many individuals may meet socially. An inside inquiry is being carried out to ascertain the details.
Johnson final week apologised to parliament for attending a “carry your personal booze” gathering within the backyard of Downing Road on Could 20, 2020, however mentioned he had thought it was a piece occasion.
Dominic Cummings, an architect of Britain’s departure from the European Union and a former senior adviser to Johnson who left authorities beneath acrimonious phrases in November 2020, mentioned on Twitter that the prime minister had agreed that the drinks get together ought to go forward.
“Not solely me however different eyewitnesses who mentioned this on the time would swear beneath oath that is what occurred,” he mentioned on his weblog.
Final week ITV Information printed an e mail invitation from Johnson’s Principal Non-public Secretary Martin Reynolds to a Could 20, 2020 occasion, asking attendees to “carry your personal booze”.
Cummings mentioned that after Reynolds was instructed to cancel the invite by not less than two individuals Reynolds checked with Johnson if it ought to go forward.
“The PM agreed it ought to,” Cummings mentioned in his weblog.
Johnson’s spokesman denied earlier on Monday that the prime minister had been made conscious of the Could 20 occasion.
“It’s unfaithful to say that the prime minister was instructed or warned forward of that,” the spokesman mentioned.
(Reuters)