LONDON: Boris Johnson’s government wenton the defensive on Wednesday, as it awaited an official report into coronavirus lockdown-breaking parties at the UK prime minister’s Downing Street office and residence.
Senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report is expected to bepublished on Wednesday, against a backdrop of new photographs and accounts this week of boozy gatherings that took place there.
It is set to offer more details of parties at the heart ofpower while the rest of the country was under a strict lockdown to try to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Johnson, who was fined by police for attending his birthdayparty during lockdown but escaped further penalties, has been forced to apologise for the culture in Downing Street, but more details may only add to pressure for him to quit.
Seeking to play down Gray’s report, a British minister saidpolice had investigated “all of these events”.
“They’ve issued a fixed penalty notice to the prime ministerin respect of one of those events that he that he attended. He’spaid that penalty,” Environment Minister George Eustice toldTimes Radio.
“He’s apologised … So I’m not sure that anything new willcome from this report other than further detail, but of course,we will… look at it.”
For months, evidence of alcohol-fuelled parties at DowningStreet has dripped out into the media, forcing Johnson toapologise, change the team at his office and promise a reset totry to restore his authority.
But his actions have failed to stem a steady drumbeat ofcalls for his resignation, with some lawmakers saying hisposition is untenable if he lied to parliament, a matter underinvestigation by parliament’s Committee of Privileges.
Ministers say he has not misled parliament.
Gray’s report follows new revelations of what went on insideDowning Street when coronavirus rules meant people could notsocialise outside their households or even, in many cases,attend funerals for loved ones.
Late on Tuesday, the BBC’s Panorama programme cited insidersas saying staff crowded together at such events, and how,sometimes in the morning when arriving for work, they were metwith bottles littering parts of the building. Some parties wenton so late, they said, some people ended up staying all night.
On Monday, photographs published by broadcaster ITV appearedto show Johnson on Nov. 13, 2020 making a speech and raising atoast, with a glass in his hand, standing next to a table on topof which are several open wine bottles.
Johnson’s spokesman did not address the photographs directlybut said that, after the publication of the Gray report, theprime minister would address parliament and answer questions.
