LONDON (Reuters) – A former senior adviser to Britain’s Boris Johnson stated on Monday he was prepared to “swear underneath oath” that the prime minister knew a party was being held at his residence throughout a COVID-19 lockdown, accusing him of mendacity to parliament.
British media have reported that not less than 11 gatherings came about at 10 Downing Street – the prime minister’s official residence and workplace – or in different authorities departments between May 2020 and April 2021, when COVID-19 guidelines restricted how many individuals might meet socially. An inside inquiry is being carried out to determine the information.
Johnson final week apologised to parliament for attending a “deliver your personal booze” gathering within the backyard of Downing Street on May 20, 2020, however stated he had thought it was a piece occasion.
Dominic Cummings, an architect of Britain’s departure from the European Union and a former senior adviser to Johnson who left authorities underneath acrimonious phrases in November 2020, stated on Twitter that the prime minister had agreed that the drinks party ought to go forward.
“Not solely me however different eyewitnesses who mentioned this on the time would swear underneath oath that is what occurred,” he stated on his weblog.
Last week ITV News revealed an e mail invitation from Johnson’s Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds to a May 20, 2020 occasion, asking attendees to “deliver your personal booze”.
Cummings stated that after Reynolds was instructed to cancel the invite by not less than two folks Reynolds checked with Johnson if it ought to go forward.
“The PM agreed it ought to,” Cummings stated in his weblog.
Johnson’s spokesman denied earlier on Monday that the prime minister had been made conscious of the May 20 occasion.
“It’s unfaithful to say that the prime minister was instructed or warned forward of that,” the spokesman stated.
(Reporting by Kate Holton, Kylie MacLellan and William James; Editing by Toby Chopra)
