How has Boris Johnson responded to claims of Covid rule-busting parties?

Boris Johnson remains in hot water amid allegations surrounding a string of parties that allegedly took place in Downing Street during England’s first lockdown in May, November and December 2020 and April 2021.

Having initially said last month that he was “sickened” at the prospect of No 10 staff ignoring social restrictions, the prime minister has been forced to admit to the House of Commons that he himself attended at least one such event as more and more stories continue to play out in the newspapers about further illicit gatherings that reputedly took place behind closed doors while the British public obeyed tough restrictions.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray has just completed her inquiry into the affair and turned in her report to the PM.

Ms Gray’s 12-page “update” on the “Partygate” scandal blasted “failures of leadership and judgement” in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, describing the behaviour of some personnel as “difficult to justify”.

In a scathing comment on the culture at No 10 under Mr Johnson’s leadership, the senior civil servant wrote: “Some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time.”

Her report also revealed that the PM’s birthday celebration is among a dozen gatherings being investigated by Scotland Yard, as is an alleged party in the prime minister’s private flat.

The PM will address the matter in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.

Here is what he has previously said in response to the events alleged to have taken place.

-15 May 2020: Garden party at Downing Street (cheese and wine) 

In December 2021, a photo emerged showing Boris and Carrie Johnson, former chief adviser Dominic Cummings and Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, sitting around a table in the No 10 garden during the first national lockdown.

Mr Johnson said in an interview on 20 December 2021: “Those were meetings of people at work. This is where I live and it’s where I work. Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work.”

 

– 20 May 2020: Garden party at Downing Street (BYOB)

ITV reported a leaked email from Mr Reynolds to more than 100 Downing Street employees asking them to “bring your own booze” for an evening gathering.

Multiple reports suggested the prime minister attended the event with his wife.

Asked if he and Ms Johnson had attended the party in question, Mr Johnson said on 10 January: “All that, as you know, is the subject of a proper investigation by Sue Gray.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) two days later, he confirmed that he had taken part in the garden gathering for around 25 minutes with the intention of thanking his staff for their efforts during the pandemic while claiming, somewhat improbably: “I believed implicitly that it was a work event.” His remarks inspired ridicule from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and several calls to “do the decent thing” and resign.

During a hospital visit on Tuesday 18 January, the prime minister caused more mirth when he told Sky News: “I can’t believe we would have gone ahead with an event that people said was against the rules… nobody warned me it was against the rules, I am categorical about that – I would have remembered that.”

Having apparently forgotten his own responsibility for setting those rules, he said of Ms Gray: “We’ll have to see what she says. And I think that she should be given the space to get on and conclude her inquiry and I would urge everybody who has knowledge of this and… memories of this to tell her what they know.”

At the following week’s PMQs, Mr Johnson appeared to lose patience with his opposite number for dwelling on the issue, remarking: “It is for the inquiry to come forward with an explanation of what happened.”

He accused Sir Keir of “continuing to ask a series of questions which he knows will be answered fully by the inquiry” adding: “He is wasting this House’s time – he is wasting the people’s time.”

-13 November 2020: Leaving party for senior aide and Johnsons’ flat party

According to reports, Mr Johnson gave a leaving speech for Lee Cain, his departing director of communications and close ally of Mr Cummings.

There are also allegations that the prime minister’s then-fiancee hosted parties in their flat, with one such event said to have taken place on 13 November 2020, the night Mr Cummings departed No 10.

Mr Johnson was asked in the House of Commons on 8 December 2021: “Will the prime minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November?”

He replied: “No, but I’m sure that whatever happened the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times.”

– 15 December 2020: Downing Street quiz

The Sunday Mirror published an image in December 2021 showing the prime minister flanked by colleagues, one draped in tinsel and another wearing a Santa hat, in No 10 the previous year.

Downing Street admitted Mr Johnson “briefly” attended the quiz after photographic evidence emerged, but insisted it was a virtual event.

In an interview on 13 December 2021, the PM said: “I can tell you that I certainly broke no rules – the whole thing will be looked into by the cabinet secretary, and what I’m focused on, frankly, is the vaccine rollout.”

– 18 December 2020: Christmas party at Downing Street

According to reports that first emerged at the end of November 2021, officials and advisers made speeches, enjoyed a cheese board, drank together and exchanged Secret Santa gifts – although the prime minister is not thought to have attended.

Mr Johnson said in an interview on 7 December 2021: “I have satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.”

He said in the House of Commons on 8 December 2021: “I repeat that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken. That is what I have been repeatedly assured.

“But I have asked the cabinet secretary to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible. It goes without saying that if those rules were broken, there will be disciplinary action for all those involved.”

The PM also said in the Commons on 8 December 2021: “I apologise for the impression that has been given that staff in Downing Street take this less than seriously. I am sickened myself and furious about that, but I repeat what I have said to him: I have been repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken.”