Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised for attending a party in the Downing Street garden during the first lockdown, but said he believed “implicitly that this was a work event”.
It is the latest in a number of alleged parties to have taken place under Covid restrictions, which are currently being investigated by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
What was the party?
An email, sent to as many as 100 people in Downing Street, invited them to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening”.
The email, revealed by ITV News, was sent on behalf of Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds.
It is understood that about 30 people attended the event on 20 May 2020. Two eyewitnesses had already told the BBC they saw Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie there.
In his apology, Mr Johnson told MPs he went into the garden just after 18:00 to thank groups of staff and returned to his office 25 minutes later. He said that the event “could be said to fall technically within the guidance”.
The list of alleged government lockdown gatherings
What were the Covid rules on 20 May 2020?
Throughout the pandemic there has been a mixture of guidance and legal restrictions relating to behaviour likely to spread the virus.
Legal restrictions are underpinned by sanctions – where breaking the law could result in prosecution. Guidance – unless it’s also backed up in law – is not enforced by fines or court action, explains Stuart Nolan from the Law Society.
In terms of guidance:
When it came to workplace gatherings, the guidelines said: “Workers should try to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace.”
The “working safely during coronavirus” guidelines also said only absolutely necessary participants should attend meetings and should maintain 2m separation throughout.” Generally, workers were told to “reduce the number of people you spend time with in a work setting”.
There is nothing in the guidelines that would suggest that drinking, socialising or other types of work event would have been allowed.