Downing Road has denied claims by Dominic Cummings that Boris Johnson was instructed upfront workers have been holding a drinks celebration within the No 10 backyard within the midst of the primary Covid lockdown.
The Prime Minister’s former chief adviser mentioned he was ready to “swear beneath oath” that Mr Johnson was mendacity when he instructed MPs he had not recognized beforehand in regards to the “deliver your personal bottle” occasion on Could 20 2020.
Within the Commons final week Mr Johnson admitted spending 25 minutes on the gathering saying he had believed “implicitly” that it was a piece occasion.
However in his newest salvo on the man he as soon as labored for, Mr Cummings mentioned each he and one other senior official had challenged Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal personal secretary who despatched out invites to round 100 workers, as as to if it was throughout the guidelines.
He mentioned he believed that Mr Reynolds then checked with Mr Johnson who had agreed the occasion ought to go forward.
When he tried to boost the difficulty with the Prime Minister instantly he mentioned his objections have been brushed apart.
“I mentioned to the PM one thing like: ‘Martin’s invited the constructing to a drinks celebration, that is what I’m speaking about, you’ve acquired to grip this madhouse’. The PM waved it apart,” Mr Cummings wrote in his weblog.
He added: “The occasions of Could 20 alone, by no means thoughts the string of different occasions, imply the PM lied to Parliament about events.
“Not solely me however different eyewitnesses who mentioned this on the time would swear beneath oath that is what occurred.”
In response a No 10 spokesman mentioned Mr Johnson had apologised to the Home and that he “believed implicitly” that he had been attending a piece occasion.
“It’s unfaithful that the Prime Minister was warned in regards to the occasion upfront,” the spokesman mentioned, including Mr Johnson could be making an extra assertion when Sue Grey, the senior civil servant investigating partying in Whitehall throughout lockdown, has accomplished her inquiry.
Boris Johnson instructed MPs he believed he was at a piece occasion (Home of Commons/PA)
(PA Wire)
The allegations will probably add to the strain on Mr Johnson, who’s going through calls to resign from some Tory MPs amid widespread voter anger at stories that Covid guidelines have been flouted by No 10.
Allies of the Prime Minister have been mounting a fightback, dubbed operation crimson meat, with a sequence of populist insurance policies, freezing the TV licence and placing the Royal Navy in command of operations to stop migrant boats crossing the Channel in an try and regain assist.
Labour deputy chief Angela Rayner mentioned Mr Johnson didn’t want to attend for Ms Grey’s report and referred to as on him to step down.
“Boris Johnson was warned that the celebration on Could 20 2020 was breaking the foundations and but he not solely dismissed these issues, however attended himself,” she mentioned.
“As an alternative of hiding behind inside inquiries or technicalities, we’d like the Prime Minister to inform the reality pure and easy.
“Boris Johnson has failed to point out management and it’s the British public who’ve suffered.
“He should resign.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
