DOWNING STREET APOLOGIZES TO QUEEN FOR HOLDING LOCKDOWN PARTIES

Protesters are throwing a party, dressed as Boris Johnson outside Downing Street chanting “my name is Boris and this is a work event”

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Sat 15 January 2022:

Downing Street has apologized to Queen Elizabeth II for hosting two staff parties last year on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, when COVID-19 rules prohibited indoor socializing.

“It is deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning and Number 10 has apologized to the Palace,” a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters on Friday.

The gatherings took place on April 16, 2021, and continued into the early hours, The Telegraph newspaper said in an exclusive report on Thursday night.

Johnson did not attend either party as he was not in Downing Street, where he both lives and works, on April 16, the spokesperson added.

The revelation came as reports about a string of lockdown-breaching gatherings organized by Downing Street officials over the past two years have enraged the British public and threatened Johnson’s premiership.

On Wednesday, Johnson apologized for attending a Downing Street garden party on May 20, 2020, during the country’s first lockdown. He said he believed it was a work event and stayed for only 25 minutes.

The parties came to light with an exclusive report from The Telegraph. The daily reported that “Downing Street staff drank alcohol into the early hours at two leaving events the night before Prince Philip’s socially distanced funeral.”

On April 16, 2021, the country was in public mourning because of the passing of the prince and flags on government buildings flew half-mast.

Queen Elizabeth II was seen attending the funeral of her husband, wearing a face mask and socially distanced from the rest of her family at Windsor Castle because of the pandemic restrictions.

Eyewitnesses “alleged that excessive alcohol was drunk, while at points, guests danced,” according to the daily.

“The gatherings stretched late into the night – well beyond midnight, according to one source.”

A spokeswoman for the prime minister said his former director of communications, James Slack, “gave a farewell speech” at one of the events.

Slack apologized Friday for the “anger and hurt” caused by the party.

He said: “I wish to apologize unreservedly for the anger and hurt caused. This event should not have happened at the time that it did. I am deeply sorry, and take full responsibility.”

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said Johnson’s excuse was “offensive” to the British public and called on him to resign.

Johnson insisted that people should “wait” until Sue Gray, the senior civil servant tasked with investigating the reported parties in Downing Street, delivers her report.

Pressure has been mounting for Johnson to resign following the revelations.

A snap poll from Savanta ComRes found that 66 percent of British adults thought Johnson should step down, representing a 12-point increase on a previous poll. Another poll conducted by YouGov showed that 56 percent of respondents believe that Johnson should step down, up from 48 percent in a similar survey on Nov. 22 last year.

Support from Johnson’s own Conservative Party is also waning as several members have been openly critical, with Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross saying on Tuesday that Johnson must resign if he broke the lockdown rules with the garden party.

On Friday, Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP who has supported Johnson in delivering Brexit, said the premier should resign, joining a few other politicians, including the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross.

“I will always be grateful for what Boris has achieved and his legacy should be cemented now by a dignified exit from politics,” he wrote on Twitter.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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