By Number 10 held two parties on the eve of Prince Phillips funeral
Downing Street staff held two parties the night before Prince Philip’s funeral despite Covid restrictions banning indoor mixing.
The events, first reported by The Telegraph, took place on 16 April 2021 and went on until the early hours.
Many have been left outraged by this information, claiming that it’s ‘outrageous’ that Downing street staff were holding yet another party while the Queen had to sit alone at her husbands funeral.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not at either party but it has raised further questions about the numerous instances of rule-breaking at Downing Street.
The PM is facing calls to resign from the opposition and some senior Tories.
He has urged MPs to wait for the outcome of an investigation into lockdown parties at No 10 by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
One of the events on 16 April was a leaving party for the PM’s then director of communications James Slack.
A No 10 spokeswoman told the BBC Mr Slack “gave a farewell speech” to thank colleagues ahead of taking up a new role as deputy editor of The Sun newspaper.
He has apologised for the “anger and hurt” caused by the leaving event, and acknowledged it “should not have happened at the time that it did”.
He said he could not comment further as it had been referred to Sue Gray as part of her investigation.
This latest revelation comes as the prime minister faces calls to resign after admitting he attended a drinks gathering in the Downing Street garden during the first lockdown in May 2020.
Cabinet ministers have rallied around Mr Johnson, but five of his own MPs have called for him to step down.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “the buck stops with the PM” over the “culture and behaviours” inside No 10.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Slack’s leaving party coincided with another gathering in the No 10 basement for one of the PM’s personal photographers.
The reported events were held at a time when the UK was in a period of national mourning, which ran from 9 April to 17 April, following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
Contact Gi National
Email us: news@gi-media.co.uk
