It has been claimed that a few of former UK PM Boris Johnson’s employees had intercourse at a Downing Street get together in 2021 when strict Covid restrictions had been nonetheless in place.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 13, 2023 12:56 IST
Former UK PM Boris Johnson. (File picture)
By India Today Web Desk: Some witnesses have claimed that just a few of Boris Johnson’s employees had intercourse at a Downing Street get together on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021 whereas strict Covid restrictions had been nonetheless in place.
According to them, two {couples} had been seen getting ‘intimate’ at a raucous get together which continued previous 4 am, in accordance with The Times – with one couple seen going into an workplace ‘with the lights off’.
Another couple was seen ‘feeling each other up’ in a No 10 kitchen earlier than retreating into an workplace room, the newspaper stated. They got here out of the darkish room ‘flustered’.
The claims emerged as Johnson got here below strain over a joke he allegedly made a couple of 13 November 2020 leaving do being “the most unsocially distanced party” within the UK.
The declare, not denied by his spokesperson, made on the No 10 leaving get together for ex-director of communications Lee Cain, one official instructed ITV’s Partygate: The Inside Story.
The revelation is amongst a number of damning new allegations, together with claims No 10 employees shredded proof and staffers had been seen ‘getting it on’ on the get together on April 16, 2021, the eve of Philip’s funeral.
Around 30 individuals attended the 2 leaving drinks occasions which came about on the eve of the funeral, which Johnson didn’t attend.
Staff introduced in a “suitcase of wine” purchased from the Co-op to the get together, which noticed each occasions merge. All socialising indoors was banned on the time, and gatherings had been allowed for “work purposes” solely.
One supply instructed the ITV podcast that key paperwork and proof about events in the course of the pandemic had been shredded earlier than the Sue Gray-Cabinet Office probe and eventual police investigation.
But No 10 stated on Thursday that employees had been instructed to “retain” all revenant data. “There was an investigation into those incidents which were reported and was also looked into by the Met police,” stated Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson.
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The No 10 spokesperson added, “At all times, staff were given clear guidance to retain any relevant information and cooperate with the investigation. The [Sue Gray] report was published in full.”
Conservative Party (Tory) MPs instructed The Independent that Johnson’s rumoured political comeback has been dealt a deadly blow by claims he joked about attending an “unsocially distanced” get together.
ALSO READ | After scandals, Boris Johnson quits as UK prime minister
One stated it will make it tougher for Johnson to keep away from punishment when the investigation by the privileges committee concludes. “It’s the final nail in his self-created comeback coffin,” the MP, was quoted by The Independent as saying.
Another senior determine, a former minister, stated: “This will make the privileges committee inquiry more difficult for Boris, if this is stood up, he clearly knew what was going on.”
Published On:
Jan 13, 2023
