London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

More lockdown party scandals about to hit Johnson

More lockdown party scandals about to hit Johnson

The infamous Christmas party at Downing Street apparently wasn’t the only lockdown-defying soiree hosted by top Conservative Party officials. According to reports, evidence of more ill-advised gatherings is about to come out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ratings have plummeted after footage leaked this week showed Downing Street staffers laughing and joking about a Christmas party held there last December 18, while the rest of the country was under Tier 3 lockdown restrictions. The scandal has already led to the resignation of Johnson’s spokeswoman, and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has expanded his probe into the party to include two other gatherings: a leaving party at Number 10 on November 27, 2020, and and a party in the Education Department on December 10.

However, these events are just the tip of the iceberg, according to Downing Street insiders and media reports.

Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former chief of staff, described the leaving party as a “red herring,” and said Case should instead look into a party at Johnson’s flat on November 13, as well as “other flat parties.”


Cumings claimed on Friday that there are yet more parties to be revealed, and that “there's lots of pictures of the parties which will inevitably get out.” The Guardian reported on Friday that in addition to the November 13 party referenced by Cummings, “various little drinks things” took place in Downing Street and at the PM’s residence during the first lockdown of spring 2020, including a “wine and pizza” gathering for Tory advisors after a Covid press conference.

Days before the Downing Street party that triggered the current scandal, Conservative Party staff “danced and drank wine late into the night” at a “raucous” party, The Times reported on Thursday. The event took place in the basement of the party’s London headquarters, and staff were allegedly reprimanded for damaging a door in the building. Several of Johnson’s aides were reportedly present.

It’s not just Johnson embroiled in the party fiasco. A Times report on Saturday said around two dozen Treasury staff held a drinks party in their office last November 25 to celebrate Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spending review. At the time, the public was advised to remain at home except for exercise or food.

The Times’ sources said the party wasn’t planned, and that Sunak apparently wasn’t in attendance or aware of the event.

Case’s inquiry is set to wrap up before Christmas, though the mood in Downing Street will not be a festive one. A spokesperson for Johnson announced on Friday that Christmas parties would be canceled at Number 10 this year, after the government introduced Plan B restrictions. The spokesperson insisted that the public would be free to gather in hospitality venues, and denied that the cancellations had anything to do with the scandal currently engulfing the prime minister.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×