122-774: Partygate was a political scandal in the United Kingdom about gatherings of government and Conservative Party staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when public health restrictions prohibited most gatherings. The scandal contributed to Boris Johnson 's downfall as Prime Minister and his resignation as an MP. While several lockdowns were in place, gatherings took place at 10 Downing Street , its garden and other government and Conservative Party buildings. Reports of these events later attracted media attention, public backlash and political controversy. In January 2022, twelve gatherings came under investigation by
244-453: A cake". The Times had published an article in June 2020 reporting the gathering on Johnson's birthday and that he "tucked into a Union Jack cake". Starmer again called on Johnson to resign. Conservative peer Baroness Warsi said Johnson should, "think long and hard about what is in the best interest of this country. (...) Is me staying in office allowing me to run this office in a way in which
366-516: A courtesy access pass to Parliament otherwise given to former MPs. On 19 June 2023, MPs voted 354 to 7 to accept the results of the privileges committee report, which included Johnson having his privilege to access parliament removed. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom , a UK-wide lockdown began on 23 March 2020 under a new statutory instrument . This was a stay-at-home order that prohibited all non-essential travel and social gatherings. Some rules were incrementally relaxed in
488-507: A dedicated fridge was bought, being delivered on 11 December 2020. What were called "Wine time Fridays" were scheduled into the diaries of about 50 staff from 4–7pm. Johnson was reported to visit some of these and to be aware of their existence. 10 Downing Street did not deny the allegations. On 16 January, in a column in The Times , Dominic Lawson said a former Downing Street official had told him of at least two people warning Johnson that
610-403: A lack of social distancing is documented in official photographs, and that he neither saw nor heard anything to alert him to the breaches that occurred. b) The frequency with which he closed his mind to those facts and to what was obvious so that eventually the only conclusion that could be drawn was that he was deliberately closing his mind. c) The fact that he sought to re-write the meaning of
732-487: A mob threatening violence outside parliament. Starmer and others blamed Johnson for inciting the disturbance. Starmer experienced online death threats, he said: "It's very important for me to say that what the prime minister said was wrong, it was very wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing". Cummings said there were photos of the alleged 13 November party in the Johnsons' flat. On 4 February, 10 Downing Street announced
854-511: A number of events that had not previously been reported. There was an accompanying debate in the Commons. Starmer said: "The prime minister repeatedly assured the House that the guidance was followed and the rules were followed. But we now know that 12 cases have breached the threshold for criminal investigation (...) including the party on May 20, 2020, which we know the prime minister attended, and
976-505: A party in Downing Street on 15 May 2020, during the first national lockdown. Downing Street issued a statement, saying: "On 15 May 2020 the prime minister held a series of meetings throughout the afternoon, including briefly with the then health and care secretary and his team in the garden following a press conference. The prime minister went to his residence shortly after 7pm. A small number of staff required to be in work remained in
1098-552: A party in Downing Street on 18 December, with Reynolds said to have been present. Shaun Bailey resigned as chair of a second London Assembly committee, the economy committee, in addition to his resignation from the police and crime committee in December. Opposition party leaders Ed Davey and Nicola Sturgeon called on Johnson to resign. Tory donor, John Caudwell told Boris Johnson to, "sort it out or step aside", Caudwell added, "Each one of these new revelations gives greater force to
1220-423: A piss up and to be fair I don't think it's unwarranted". The 3 March report was reportedly published because Johnson's lawyers asked for details on what issues would be raised when he spoke to the committee, but the committee felt any response should be made public. The committee has first to decide if it thinks any of Johnson's statements were misleading, and if it does, it said it will then "consider whether that
1342-492: A plan to oust Johnson from office, named "Operation Rinka", after the dog that was shot in the Thorpe affair . On the same day, Johnson gave an interview to Beth Rigby , after one of his immediate family had tested positive for COVID the previous week and having not appeared in public himself for nearly a week. He repeatedly apologised, and said of the 20 May 2020 event: "I'm saying categorically that nobody told me, nobody said this
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#17327718530291464-549: A result of "mutual decisions". A fifth adviser in the Number 10 Policy Unit, Elena Narozanski, resigned the following day. BBC News reported that energy minister , Greg Hands said the resignations came after Johnson "made it clear there would be a shake-up" in Downing Street organisation, following criticism of it in the Gray investigation update. Mirza considered Johnson's comment "scurrilous". The Daily Mirror reported sources saying
1586-423: A room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people on each other's laps... one or two people". They characterised the event on the day before Prince Philip's funeral as a "lively event... a general party with people dancing around." They added that security guards told them to leave the building and go into the garden when it became too loud. They said events were routine and that some staff were worried about
1708-745: A second Labour MP ( Yvonne Fovargue ) and an SNP MP ( Allan Dorans ). The committee is traditionally chaired by an opposition MP. The chair only votes in the event of a tie, so the usual voting breakdown is four Conservatives, one Labour and one SNP MP. They met on 11 January 2023 to examine documents released by the Cabinet Office in late November 2022, soon after Sunak became prime minister. These include WhatsApp messages sent inside Downing Street, emails, Johnson's official diary and his briefing papers to prepare him for Prime Minister's Questions, and entry logs recording who went into 10 Downing Street on 13 November and 19 June 2020. The Telegraph described
1830-462: A staff-based party took place on 18 December 2020 and that No 10 officials realised that they were likely to have broken rules". BBC News reported that the event had "several dozen" attendees, and that "party games were played, food and drink were served, and the party went on past midnight". The Times reported allegations that the party was organised via WhatsApp with staff requested to bring Secret Santa gifts. On 8 December, Johnson addressed
1952-616: A suspension of more than 10 days from the Commons, which, if approved by the House, would trigger a recall petition in Johnson's constituency and a possible by-election. Johnson announced his resignation as an MP on 9 June. He was critical of the Committee and insisted he never lied. He described the Committee as a " kangaroo court ". He claimed their report was "riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice". On 12 June 2023, Michael Gove said he disagreed with Johnson's description of
2074-599: A virtual Christmas quiz held at the venue on 15 December 2020 after the Sunday Mirror published a picture of him participating via his computer in the event, in a room with two other people. Downing Street said he was there to thank staff for their work during the pandemic and that the event was a "virtual" one, while Johnson himself responded that he "certainly broke no rules". The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also confirmed that staff working past normal employment hours drank alcohol and ate takeaway "late into
2196-667: Is a report – in breadth and depth – that demolishes Boris Johnson's character and conduct." BBC political correspondent Rob Watson wrote, "If you think about the several hundred year history of parliament, there's nothing like this." Reuters described the report as "damning". French newspaper Libération likewise called it "accablant" ("damning"). A spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group, David Garfinkel, said, "[Johnson] should never be allowed to stand for any form of public office again". In The Spectator , Brendan O'Neill said
2318-470: Is evidence that advisors to Johnson were "struggling to contend that some gatherings were within the rules". For example, it quotes the then Downing Street communications director, Jack Doyle, as writing a WhatsApp message saying, "I'm struggling to come up with a way this one is in the rules" about the 2020 birthday gathering. Another WhatsApp message from 28 April 2021 by an unnamed Number 10 official said: "[No. 10 official]'s worried about leaks of PM having
2440-526: Is making the country better, or am I a distraction?" On 28 January, Starmer said that "the whole of government is paralysed because the police are now looking at what the PM was getting up to in Downing Street". Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) and Ian Blackford (SNP) both said that the delay increasingly gave the appearance of an establishment "stitch-up". Late on 29 January, The Times reported that Gray had discovered that friends of Carrie Symonds ' knew
2562-472: Is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the prime minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening". More than two people were forbidden to socialise indoors, while up to six were allowed outdoors. Sue Gray, who ran an inquiry into events, was reported to have known about the event prior to the news breaking. On 25 January, in an interview with Channel 4 News , Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns explained his understanding of
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#17327718530292684-402: Is what happened". Sky News reported a second source also said Johnson had been warned in advance about the party. BBC News Online reported that two other former Downing Street officials said that "they remembered Mr Cummings telling them that day he had warned the prime minister not to allow the drinks to go ahead". Starmer, a one time Director of Public Prosecutions said: "I think he broke
2806-534: Is why Downing Street did not respond more directly. Raab also stated "the police don't normally look back and investigate things that have taken place a year ago", about which a Full Fact investigation concluded "Police often investigate alleged offences which took place years before. This is less clear cut in the context of breaches of Covid-19 regulations, which police say they do not routinely investigate retrospectively". On 6 December, former government adviser Dominic Cummings alleged that unnamed journalists attended
2928-509: The i news website said that a vote would reveal the loyalties of the so-far silent Tory MPs; this could then be used by opposition MPs to influence voters in the unrelated May local elections , even if, as expected by i , they lost the vote. On 20 April, the Conservative leadership initially sought to have their MPs vote the motion down, but faced a potential rebellion among their backbench MPs. They instead tabled an amendment to delay
3050-467: The Cabinet Office referred to the police evidence of possible further breaches of COVID-19 regulations by Johnson at 10 Downing Street and Chequers . The Privileges Committee met on 24 May and received legal advice that this was not a reason to delay their work. Johnson was sent a draft of the Committee's report on 8 June 2023, and given 14 days to respond to any criticisms. This recommended
3172-414: The Cabinet Office . It also contains a personal flat designated for the prime minister , though Boris Johnson used the larger flat in the adjoining 11 Downing Street during his premiership. The Cabinet Office is based at 70 Whitehall , connected to 10 and 11 Downing Street. Social drinks at the end of the week, known as "wine time Friday", were a standing tradition in the Number 10 press office before
3294-596: The Metropolitan Police , including at least three attended by Johnson, the prime minister. The police issued 126 fixed penalty notices to 83 individuals, including Johnson, his wife Carrie and Rishi Sunak (then Chancellor of the Exchequer ), who all apologised and paid the penalties. The first reporting was on 30 November 2021 by the Daily Mirror of 10 Downing Street staff gatherings during
3416-567: The PIN code to access her flat with Boris Johnson in 11 Downing Street. Cummings said that, in early 2020, he discovered highly confidential Government documents were left lying around in the flat, leading to him and Martin Reynolds instituting tighter controls on what papers left Johnson's office. Unable to publish her full report because of the ongoing police investigation, Gray published an update on her investigation on 31 January 2022. This covered
3538-558: The house and said he was "furious" to see that video, and that he "apologises unreservedly" for the offence and impression given by it. He said it "shocked" him to see it, as he had had repeated assurances that no party had taken place. Later on 8 December, during Prime Minister's Questions , Labour MP Catherine West asked: "Will the Prime Minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November?" Johnson replied: "No, but I am sure that whatever happened,
3660-541: The "correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach of the Health Protection Regulations […] Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time". BBC News reported on 9 December 2021 that Jack Doyle , the deputy Downing Street Director of Communications at
3782-583: The 15 December 2020 Christmas quiz, showing Johnson and three other people, one wearing tinsel, one a Santa hat and "what appears to be champagne and a half-eaten packet of crisps". Three anonymous Downing Street insiders spoke to the BBC Panorama programme about the conditions, culture and morale inside government offices during the COVID-19 lockdown. The insiders described how, as Cain's leaving do developed, "there were about 30 people, if not more, in
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3904-508: The 20 May 2020 event should be cancelled and that Johnson said they were "overreacting". Johnson's spokesperson said that the report was not accurate, although other journalists were reported to have corroborated it. On 17 January, Cummings reiterated his claim that Johnson knew in advance about the party, that Cummings raised concerns about it and that Johnson said it could go ahead, and consequently that Johnson had lied to Parliament about what happened. Cummings said he would "swear under oath this
4026-420: The 2020 Christmas season . Johnson said rules had been followed, and Downing Street denied that a party took place. A week later, video of a mock press conference in 10 Downing Street was broadcast in which joking comments about a party having taken place were made. Allegra Stratton was featured in the video during her role as Downing Street Press Secretary . She resigned her subsequent government position after
4148-485: The BBC and "frosty" by CNN, with Johnson raising his voice at times. He reiterated his view that he had not lied to Parliament. He also described the committee's processes as "manifestly unfair". However, he distanced himself from comments some of his supporters had made criticising the committee. Johnson argued that gatherings to note the leaving of a staff member and for his birthday counted as "essential" work events under
4270-601: The COVID-19 rules in place, but committee members disagreed. Johnson argued that he did not deserve to receive the fine he was given. Johnson argued that he received advice that all rules had been followed before speaking in Parliament, but the committee questioned that he largely meant advice from politically-appointed media advisors, mainly Jack Doyle but also James Slack . They asked why he did not rely on what he had seen himself or why he had not sought advice from lawyers or senior civil servants. Johnson responded, "I asked
4392-427: The Cabinet Office under Covid regulations", events commonly referred to as Partygate . The investigation is concerned with whether Johnson misled the Commons when he made these statements. Johnson resigned over the investigation after having been sent a draft copy of the committee's report. The Committee had voted on the final report text and unanimously supported it. They concluded that Johnson had deliberately misled
4514-428: The Committee's provisional findings when he resigned. The Commons debated the report on 19 June 2023. Labour forced a vote and the Commons voted 354 to 7 in support, with a large number of abstentions. This was an absolute majority of the Commons. 118 Conservative MPs, including 15 ministers, voted for the report and 225 abstained. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had earlier said he had other commitments, and did not attend
4636-500: The Committee's provisional findings when he resigned. They said he was complicit in a "campaign of abuse" against those investigating him. 13. We considered the nature and extent of Mr Johnson's culpability in misleading the House. In coming to the conclusion that Mr Johnson deliberately misled the House, we considered: a) His repeated and continuing denials of the facts, for example his refusal to accept that there were insufficient efforts to enforce social distancing at gatherings where
4758-513: The Commons Speaker subsequently ruled that it would. Johnson announced his resignation as Prime Minister on 7 July 2022, with Liz Truss being appointed the new Prime Minister on 6 September 2022. Truss was replaced by Rishi Sunak on 25 October 2022. The Government hired Lord Pannick to advise Johnson, who released an opinion critical of the committee's functioning. The Privileges Committee responded, saying, "The Committee accepts
4880-645: The Commons about the matter. On 19 April 2022, Speaker of the Commons Lindsay Hoyle approved an application, from the leader of the Labour Party and other leading opposition MPs, to table a motion for debate followed by a vote on 21 April, on whether Johnson should be referred to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to investigate whether he knowingly misled Parliament in his comments. On 19 April 2022,
5002-469: The Downing Street garden for part of the afternoon and evening". On 19 December, The Guardian published a photograph of the event showing 19 people drinking wine and noting "there are no laptops, files or notepads to take minutes on show". Johnson was shown sitting next to his then-fiancée, Carrie Symonds , who was holding their newborn son. Downing Street insisted the photograph showed a work meeting. The Metropolitan Police referred itself and their role in
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5124-471: The House, a contempt of Parliament. They said that, had he still been an MP, they would have recommended a 90 day suspension. The report stated that Johnson tried to "rewrite the meaning" of COVID rules "to fit his own evidence" for example that "a leaving gathering or a gathering to boost morale was a lawful reason to hold a gathering." They concluded he was guilty of further contempts of Parliament and that he breached confidentiality requirements by criticising
5246-555: The Labour Party. Some supporters of Johnson argued this undermined her earlier Partygate report. A spokesperson for the Privileges Committee stressed that their report was not based on Gray's work, but on evidence supplied by the government and from witnesses. Johnson submitted a response, the final version of which was delivered to the committee on the morning of 21 March 2023. It was published later that day by
5368-477: The No 10 garden this evening (...) bring your own booze !" Various news organisations reported that around 30–40 people were present that evening, eating picnic food and drinking, including Johnson and Symonds. In his 15 January 2022 column in The Times , Tim Shipman relayed accounts of a meeting of Johnson's team which was held in Downing Street on 11 January, the day after ITV News showed the Reynolds email. He said it
5490-424: The Prime Minister". The Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reported to have been "unintentionally present" when the cake was served, while waiting for a meeting. The Guardian reported Downing Street sources saying that, in the evening, Johnson celebrated outside with family, as allowed under the then rules. ITV News alleged that family friends then went up to Johnson's flat. A Number 10 spokesperson denied this, saying: "This
5612-458: The Prime Minister's role in the event. He said people came to the Cabinet room, where Johnson was working, and presented him with a cake. When pressed, Burns summarised it saying Johnson was, "in a sense, ambushed with a cake". Burns' comments were ridiculed online in a series of memes . Burns later told The Daily Telegraph ' s podcast that he had since been told "that there actually wasn't
5734-588: The Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder , former President of Tribunals for the United Kingdom and former Lord Justice of Appeal, as their legal adviser. The committee could recommend a range of possible sanctions, including a suspension from the Commons, and resignation for knowingly misleading Parliament. The full Commons would have to approve any sanctions in a vote. It was initially unclear if the Recall of MPs Act 2015 would apply to any suspension, but
5856-457: The Rules and Guidance to fit his own evidence, for example, his assertion that "imperfect" social distancing was perfectly acceptable when there were no mitigations in place rather than cancelling a gathering or holding it online, and his assertion that a leaving gathering or a gathering to boost morale was a lawful reason to hold a gathering. d) His own after-the-event rationalisations, for example
5978-561: The UK, and in London was cancelled altogether. On 5 January 2021, a third lockdown began across the whole of England. This was gradually lifted in a series of steps beginning 29 March , with social contact limited to groups of six from no more than two households and outdoors, into April. 10 Downing Street is a government building in the City of Westminster , central London , used by some staff in
6100-506: The accusation that areas of the government think it's 'one rule for them, one rule for the rest of us'." On 12 January, Johnson, speaking at PMQs in the House of Commons , said that he had attended the gathering and apologised for doing so. He said that he was present for about 25 minutes and that he thought it was an allowed work meeting. He said: "I should have recognised that even if it (the gathering) could be said technically to fall within
6222-473: The allegations that Johnson misled Parliament over events to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee . On 9 June 2023, Johnson resigned as an MP after having received the committee's draft report. The committee's final report, published six days later, concluded Johnson had deliberately and repeatedly misled Parliament and impugned and intimidated the committee, would have recommended a 90-day suspension had he not resigned, and recommended that Johnson not be given
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#17327718530296344-573: The beginning of December was: 'I've been assured there were no parties,' and his second defence when the video came out was: 'I'm furious there have been these parties; I've only just found out.' And if the third defence is true, then obviously the first two are false – and that's a major problem for him". On 24 January, ITV News reported that a surprise birthday get-together was held for Johnson on 19 June 2020, allegedly organised by Carrie Symonds . Up to 30 people were said to have been present, including Johnson, Symonds and interior designer Lulu Lytle, who
6466-420: The by-election. In response, the Committee said it would meet on 12 June 2023 to conclude their work and publish their report earlier. They said, "Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement." Johnson sent a response to the report at 23:57 on 12 June 2023. The Committee published their final report on 15 June. The Committee had voted on
6588-403: The committee as it was to be referred to in the hearings. This includes Cabinet Secretary Simon Case denying that he gave assurances to Johnson that rules or guidance were obeyed at all times in 10 Downing Street. It also has Lee Cain , then Downing Street Director of Communications , confirming Dominic Cummings at the time said the garden party should not take place and that he had discussed
6710-436: The committee should only be examining the accuracy of his statements with respect to compliance with regulations, i.e. with what was legal or illegal, and not with respect to compliance with non-legally-binding guidance. However, the statements by Johnson under examination included claims he made that "all guidance was followed completely" at 10 Downing Street. Johnson also argued that he was never told by advisers that any of
6832-506: The committee. Johnson's defence document acknowledged that his statements to Parliament were misleading, but argued that this was inadvertent. It set up possible key arguments for the subsequent hearings. Johnson argued that it was inappropriate of the committee to consider whether his statements were "reckless", that doing so unduly expands the scope of such investigations, and they should only be seeking to determine whether he his misleading statements were "intentional". Johnson argued that
6954-643: The communications team are likely to be out of a job when a report by the mandarin Sue Gray is published". Shipman added that an MP likened it to Harold Macmillan 's 1962 Night of the Long Knives (when he sacked a third of his cabinet), "Boris is preparing to lay down the lives of his staff to save his own. It will be the Night of the Long Scapegoats". Johnson initially declined to comment on whether he
7076-588: The controversy. The news website said they had gathered anecdotal evidence of terse exchanges between police officers and members of the public in early December 2020. On 14 December, Conservative politician Shaun Bailey , a member of the London Assembly and a former candidate for Mayor of London , resigned as chair of the Police and Crime Committee of the Assembly after his attendance at a gathering that
7198-576: The day before Prince Philip's funeral , during a third lockdown across England. Reports followed of a gathering celebrating Johnson's birthday in June 2020. After the mock press conference video leaked, on 8 December 2021, Johnson announced a Cabinet Office inquiry, eventually undertaken by civil servant Sue Gray . In January 2022, the Metropolitan Police opened its own investigation into potential breaches of COVID-19 regulations, which delayed Gray's report. An update on Gray's investigation
7320-432: The debate and refused to say how he would have voted. Partygate is the political scandal concerning staff gatherings, mainly in 10 Downing Street , during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, that contravened public health restrictions , which only allowed certain gatherings to take place at the time, and which contributed to Boris Johnson 's downfall as Prime Minister. The first reporting relating to these events
7442-412: The decision about referring Johnson to the Privileges Committee until after the investigative report into Partygate by Sue Gray was published. However, by the morning of 21 April, further Conservative MPs were threatening to rebel. The Government's position shifted further and they dropped the three-line whip for their amendment. The chair of the committee, Labour MP Chris Bryant , recused himself on
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#17327718530297564-603: The denials. On 3 December, Labour MP Barry Gardiner wrote to the Metropolitan Police asking them to investigate, but they responded saying that they do not normally investigate "retrospective breaches of the Covid-19 regulations". On 5 December, the Justice Secretary Dominic Raab told Andrew Marr that if a "formal party" had taken place "then of course it would be wrong" but that the reports were based on "unsubstantiated, anonymous claims" which
7686-592: The electronic media have covered it in depth. The Muckraker movement in American journalism was a component of the Progressive Era in the U.S. in the early 20th century. Journalists have built their careers on exposure of corruption and political scandal, often acting on behalf of the opposition party. The political ideology of media owners plays a role—they prefer to target the opposition but will reluctantly cover their own side. Journalists have to frame
7808-547: The event on 18 December, with BBC News reporting it involved "drinks, nibbles, and games" and a source told the Financial Times that parties were vital for Downing Street staff to relieve stress. Downing Street responded by saying: "We don't recognise these accounts". At Prime Minister's Questions , Johnson told the Commons: "All guidance was followed completely [in] Number 10". Some Downing Street staff were angered by
7930-541: The facts, she is very well respected, I think that all of those should be passed to the police to look at". On 17 January, the Daily Mirror reported that Johnson attended a leaving party for Steve Higham, his former defence advisor, shortly before Christmas 2020 while strict coronavirus restrictions applied in London. Johnson was reported to have attended for a few minutes and to have given a speech. On 18 January, The Guardian reported that Conservative rebel MPs had
8052-424: The final report text and unanimously supported it. They concluded that Johnson had deliberately misled the House, a contempt of Parliament. They said that, had he still been an MP, they would have recommended a 90 day suspension. If that had happened, it would have been the second longest suspension since 1949. The Committee concluded that Johnson's actions were "more serious" because they were committed when he
8174-500: The findings of the committee with respect to Johnson's dishonesty "are not wholly convincing". He concluded that he fears "that the fallout from partygate poses a larger threat to democracy than partygate itself". Johnson released a statement that said it was "a dreadful day for MPs and for democracy", accused the committee of functioning in "anti-democratic way" and that "It is for the people of this country to decide who sits in Parliament, not [committee chair] Harriet Harman ". Johnson
8296-548: The following months in England; starting from 13 May, "two people from separate households were permitted to meet outside in a public place". Six people were allowed to socialise outdoors by June, and indoor social gatherings were permitted from 4 July (only between members of two households). With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in much of England, a second national lockdown started on 5 November 2020. A regional tiered lockdown system replaced this on 2 December. London
8418-402: The garden of 10 Downing Street did not show a party. He described having a work meeting with Boris Johnson and the Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds , with Carrie Symonds subsequently joining them. Meanwhile, according to his account, various other groups of people were also meeting in the garden, and staff had been advised to meet outside in the garden where there
8540-407: The garden party, but Johnson argued that Cummings is not a reliable witness. Johnson gave evidence before the committee on 22 March 2023. The hearing was televised. On the morning of 22 March, the Committee released 110 pages of evidence, with redactions in places. The unredacted evidence was previously shared with Johnson a fortnight earlier. The evidence in the release was chosen by Johnson or
8662-445: The gatherings in question were against the rules. In some cases, he was specifically told they were within the rules. This, he argues, disputes the suggestion that he should have known gatherings were in breach of the rules. The defence document largely relies on advice from Johnson's then-communications chief, Jack Doyle , who was a political special adviser rather than a permanent civil servant. Cummings has claimed he did warn against
8784-512: The government's denials to the Mirror' s story, agreed to let ITV News air the video, which they did on 7 December 2021. In the video, then- Downing Street Press Secretary Allegra Stratton and other Downing Street staff – during a mock press conference on 22 December 2020 – made joking references to a Christmas gathering in 10 Downing Street four days earlier on 18 December 2020. The leaked 47-second clip began with media advisor Ed Oldfield playing
8906-523: The government's reasoning for doing so was not "wholly persuasive" and that due process had not been followed when signing off the money. On 3 March 2023, the committee published its summary of issues to be raised with Johnson, including some previously unpublished photos of gatherings. It raised at least four occasions on which the Commons might have been misled when Johnson said regulations were followed, and suggested that breaches of COVID-19 guidance would have been obvious to Johnson. This report said there
9028-413: The grounds of comments he had made about the matter previously. The motion was tabled on 21 April 2022, with Tory MPs told not to oppose it. Thus, the Commons approved the motion without a vote. The motion called for the Privileges Committee to launch an inquiry, once the police had finished their own investigation into the gatherings. The committee began its considerations on 29 June 2022 and appointed
9150-563: The guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times." Three hours later, Stratton resigned from her position as government spokesperson for the COP26 summit and apologised for her remarks which she said she would regret "for the rest of [her] days". ITV News reported in January 2023 that, at the time, staff in Downing Street were "shocked" at the reporting and Johnson's denials. Staff also said that Stratton herself never attended any of
9272-554: The guidance, there would be millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way". In response, the leader of the opposition , Keir Starmer , asked if Johnson would now "do the decent thing and resign". Other MPs also called on Johnson to resign, including Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross . On 13 January 2022, 27 of the 31 Conservative Scottish MSPs came out publicly against Johnson. Articles in New Statesman and The Guardian , among others, criticised
9394-466: The law. I think he's as good as admitted that he broke the law. (...) I think it's pretty obvious what's happened, this industrial-scale partying had been going on at Downing Street, not much of it is really denied, and I think that the public have made up their mind. I think the facts speak for themselves. I think the Prime Minister broke the law, I think he then lied about what had happened. (...) Once Sue Gray has come to her findings, she will set out all
9516-427: The matter with Johnson. Martin Reynolds advised Johnson to not say guidance was always followed in his 8 December 2021 appearance at Prime Minister's Questions. Johnson agreed to delete this line from his response, but then, in the House, verbally said guidance had been followed. Johnson appeared for three hours in front of the committee on the afternoon of 22 March in proceedings that were described as "tetchy" by
9638-420: The nature and extent of the assurances he received, the words used, the purpose of the assurances, who they came from, the warning he received about that from Martin Reynolds (his Principal Private Secretary) and his failure to take advice from others whose advice would have been authoritative. His view about his own Fixed Penalty Notice (that he was baffled as to why he received it) is instructive. 14. We came to
9760-561: The night" on a number of occasions during COVID restrictions after this was reported by the Sunday Mirror . Northern Ireland First Minister , Paul Givan , and his deputy Michelle O'Neill , said the controversy had damaged the public health message in Northern Ireland. On 12 December, The Independent reported that senior police officers feared people would be less likely to comply with any new restrictions because of
9882-472: The pandemic. ITV News quoted anonymous staff saying that, unlike at other Government departments, there was little attention paid to social distancing or wearing face masks in 10 Downing Street. Pippa Crerar , then the political editor at the Daily Mirror , said that she was first told of breaches of COVID-19 regulations involving the Conservative Party in January 2021, but was unable to get
10004-437: The parties. ITV News quoted one staff member as saying Downing Street initially thought that, after Stratton's resignation, the story would be gone within a week. On 8 December, the Metropolitan Police said they had "received a significant amount of correspondence relating to allegations reported in the media” and that this had been “considered by detectives in detail, as well as footage published by ITV News". They concluded that
10126-526: The party on November 13, 2020 in the prime minister's flat. There can be no doubt that the prime minister himself is now subject to criminal investigation. (...) it is already clear what the report disclosed is the most damning conclusion possible". In the Commons debate on the topic, Johnson said Starmer "spent most of his time [as Director of Public Prosecutions] prosecuting journalists [a reference to Julian Assange 's prosecution] and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile ". Full Fact fact checkers said: "Starmer
10248-469: The party the week before his resignation, for holding a "raucous" event. Cabinet member Grant Shapps stated that the event was "absolutely unacceptable", and not authorised by the Conservative Party. The Metropolitan Police later said they would contact two people who were at the party over possible breaches of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations. On 11 November 2022,
10370-552: The party's loss of the 2021 North Shropshire by-election and poor performance in the 2022 local elections . In early 2022, a number of opposition, and a few Conservative, politicians called for Johnson's resignation or a confidence vote . The scandal led to the resignation of five senior Downing Street staff in February, and that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice David Wolfson in April. On 21 April, MPs referred
10492-411: The police had a photograph of Johnson with a can of Estrella beer standing next to Rishi Sunak at the 19 June 2020 Cabinet Room birthday event. It is reported to be one of the 300 images given by Gray to the Metropolitan Police, and to have been taken by the official No 10 photographer, Andrew Parsons . During Prime Minister's Questions on 9 February, the Daily Mirror released another photograph from
10614-443: The police said they would be taking no action over the matter as "the investigation reviewed all the material thoroughly and after careful consideration, it was determined that there was insufficient evidence to disprove the version of events provided by attendees to a standard that would meet the threshold required". On 16 December, a joint investigation by The Guardian and The Independent reported allegations that Johnson attended
10736-479: The policing and security of the buildings to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, on 17 December, following a complaint by Green Party peer Jenny Jones , who said that there was a "conflict of interest and a potential cover up" in relation to the police declining to investigate. In a blog post on 7 January, Dominic Cummings argued that the photo from 15 May 2020 in
10858-417: The potential consequences, but that it seemed difficult to raise concerns. One said that, for staff who were working long hours, it was a lifeline. They all felt that the culture developed and it seemed the prime minister "wanted to be liked" and for staff to be able to "let their hair down." The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg reported on 24 May 2022 that the prime minister's official spokesman had said that Johnson took
10980-448: The process as a "kangaroo court", saying he had "respect" for their work. The same day, Sunak also expressed support for the Committee. Johnson's claim that he was being "forced out" was criticised, given the Committee's report had to be voted on by Parliament and then there would have been a recall petition and by-election. The BBC reported a former Cabinet ally as saying that Johnson would not have resigned if he had thought he would win
11102-499: The question facing the committee in these terms: "Even Mr Johnson's allies accept he misled Parliament, in that information was given to MPs that turned out to be incorrect. The key question is whether he did so knowingly, deliberately." Harman tweeted about Johnson and events in April 2022. Some Johnson supporters questioned her impartiality because of this. Harman privately offered to the Government to stand down as chair, but she
11224-428: The relevant people. They were senior people. They had been working very hard." Following Johnson's March 2023 hearing, a Survation poll found 68% of the public did not believe Johnson when he said he believed he was following the rules. Once the Committee had heard all the evidence, it worked on its conclusions. Johnson was then to be given a fortnight to respond, before the final report is published. In May 2023,
11346-475: The reported party and that it was "very unwise for No 10 to lie" about the events. The prime minister's spokesperson reiterated: "There was not a party and Covid rules have been followed at all times". ITV News had been contacted by a Downing Street staff member with a video clip, that had been widely circulated at Number 10, before the Daily Mirror first broke the Partygate story. That source, frustrated by
11468-576: The resignations of both Dan Rosenfield , Johnson's chief of staff, and Martin Reynolds, his principal private secretary. Sky News described this as "an apparent mass exodus from Downing Street amid the fallout from the partygate scandal" (by 22 April they described it as "part of a purge of the prime minister's senior team in the wake of the partygate scandal"). Rosenfield and Reynolds were to continue in their roles until their successors were appointed. BBC News reported that Johnson's official spokesman said Doyle's, Rosenfield's and Reynolds's resignations were as
11590-771: The revelations about what happened during lockdown "very seriously". The spokesman added that Sue Gray 's interim report "raised some of these challenges" and that as a result, "wholesale changes" had been made to the way No 10 operated with "further changes to come." Political scandal In politics , a political scandal is an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage. Politicians , government officials, party officials and lobbyists can be accused of various illegal, corrupt , unethical or sexual practices. Politicians and officials who are embroiled in scandals are more likely to retire or get lower vote shares. Scandal sells, and broadsides, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines and
11712-423: The role of a journalist and asking Stratton: "I've just seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night, do you recognise those reports?" In response, Stratton and other Downing Street staff joked about the "fictional party" being just " cheese and wine " and a "business meeting", with "no social distancing". The Guardian said that the video gave "the strong impression that
11834-695: The story "over the line". In October 2021, she received evidence from a contact. As a result, on 30 November 2021, the Daily Mirror reported allegations that some Downing Street staff had held three gatherings in November and December 2020, when London was under COVID-19 tier 3 lockdown restrictions . Crerar has subsequently said that, at that time, she was aware of further allegations, but that they were not sufficiently confirmed to be included. The restrictions in November and December 2020 prohibited indoor gatherings of more than six people, with exceptions for certain work-related activities. A leaving party for an aide
11956-451: The story in terms of the audience's values and expectations to maximize the impact. Commons Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson The UK House of Commons Committee of Privileges inquiry into the matter referred on 21 April 2022 on the conduct of Boris Johnson concerns four specific assertions made by the then Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions about "the legality of activities in 10 Downing Street and
12078-483: The time, attended the event on 18 December, gave a speech, and handed out awards at the function. On 10 December, the government's Chief Whip Mark Spencer said that the event had been a "meeting", rather than a social gathering. On 11 December, reports emerged that two dozen HM Treasury staff gathered for drinks on 25 November 2020 to celebrate Chancellor Rishi Sunak 's Autumn Spending Review. On 12 December, Downing Street confirmed that Johnson "briefly" took part in
12200-530: The two parties. On 14 January The Independent reported that Johnson had drawn up a plan to retain his premiership. The Guardian said it was his allies who did the planning. The plan was said by The Independent to include a list of officials who should resign over the parties controversy, a communications strategy for cabinet ministers, as well as "sounding out support" for leadership rivals from backbenchers. The Daily Mirror reported that Downing Street staff had regular Friday evening events with wine, for which
12322-561: The video surfaced. Shaun Bailey resigned as chair of the London Assembly 's Police and Crime Committee after evidence emerged that he had attended a gathering, where it was alleged that Covid regulations had been broken on 14 December 2020 with Conservative Party staff. In January 2022, reports emerged of an event with drinks on 20 May 2020 in the garden of 10 Downing Street during the first national lockdown . Johnson said that he attended and apologised for doing so. Downing Street apologised to Queen Elizabeth II for two events on 16 April 2021,
12444-521: The view of its impartial legal advisers and the Clerks that Lord Pannick's opinion is founded on a systemic misunderstanding of the parliamentary process and misplaced analogies with the criminal law." The committee was chaired by Labour MP Harriet Harman (Harman replaced Bryant in June 2022 and was unanimously voted chair by the other Committee members ) and included four Conservative MPs ( Alberto Costa , Charles Walker , Andy Carter , Bernard Jenkin ),
12566-474: The view that some of Mr Johnson's denials and explanations were so disingenuous that they were by their very nature deliberate attempts to mislead the Committee and the House, while others demonstrated deliberation because of the frequency with which he closed his mind to the truth. Committee of Privileges, "Matter referred on 21 April 2022 (conduct of Rt Hon Boris Johnson): Final Report – Report Summary" The BBC's political editor, Chris Mason , wrote, "This
12688-413: The wording of Johnson's apology for being insufficient. On 13 January, it was reported that two separate parties were held in 10 Downing Street on 16 April 2021. These were leaving events for James Slack , Johnson's director of communications, and a photographer. The date was the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , when the UK was observing a period of national mourning , and England
12810-529: Was DPP. I was making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole". Munira Mirza , Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit , resigned on 3 February, saying Johnson should have apologised. On the same day, Jack Doyle quit as Johnson's communications director. Doyle talked about the difficulty of his job in recent weeks, but also said that he had always intended to only work in government for two years. Starmer later needed police protection, following
12932-464: Was Prime Minister. They noted that there was no precedent for a PM being found to have deliberately misled Parliament. The report stated that Johnson tried to "rewrite the meaning" of COVID rules "to fit his own evidence" for example that "a leaving gathering or a gathering to boost morale was a lawful reason to hold a gathering." They concluded he was guilty of further contempts of Parliament and that he breached confidentiality requirements by criticising
13054-402: Was alleged to have breached COVID-19 regulations. Shortly after his resignation, photographs were published of him and over 20 members of staff at a gathering with drinks and a buffet held in the basement of Conservative Campaign Headquarters on 14 December 2020, when he was the party's mayoral candidate . Four aides on secondment from the party who attended the gathering had been disciplined by
13176-409: Was asked to continue. As a former prime minister, and as the inquiry related to statements he made on behalf of the government, the government decided to pay Johnson's fees for legal support in the inquiry. However, while there was precedent for paying legal fees arising from public inquiries, there had not been a prior case where legal fees were paid for a Parliamentary inquiry. Originally £129,000
13298-467: Was head of the CPS when the decision was made not to prosecute Savile but he was not the reviewing lawyer for the case". The BBC "found no evidence that Sir Keir was involved at any point in the decision not to charge Savile". Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle also criticised Johnson's accusation. Three days later, Johnson stated that he was "not talking about the leader of the opposition's personal record when he
13420-533: Was in step two of its lockdown roadmap, with indoor mixing banned. Johnson was out of London at the time. The photographer's party reportedly involved loud music, a DJ and a staff member sent to the Co-op store on the Strand to fill a suitcase with bottles of wine. The next day, Slack and Downing Street confirmed there was an event, with Slack apologising for what happened. Number 10 apologised to Queen Elizabeth II for
13542-442: Was inadvertent, reckless or intentional". Johnson said none of the evidence showed he "knowingly" misled parliament, and that "it is clear from this report that I have not committed any contempt of parliament". A Johnson spokesperson said the committee consisted of members who already "think Boris is guilty". Around the same time, it was announced that Sue Gray had been offered the job of chief of staff to Keir Starmer , leader of
13664-439: Was initially placed in "Tier 2", was moved to the highest level "Tier 3" on 16 December, and finally placed under a newly introduced stay-at-home order, "Tier 4", on 19 December. Socialising between households or outside of support bubbles was not allowed throughout this period. Household mixing and socialising for Christmas itself was also restricted to a small number of households and only permitted on 25 December across much of
13786-416: Was less risk of COVID-19 transmission. Cummings said that there was a "socially distanced drinks" gathering in the garden on 20 May 2020 that he and another special adviser cautioned against. On 10 January, ITV News showed a 20 May 2020 email sent on behalf of Reynolds to over one hundred 10 Downing Street staff, inviting them "to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in
13908-488: Was made available. This was extended to an additional £90,000 in December 2022. The contract was due to expire 28 February 2023, but there was then a no cost extension to 30 April 2023. The Labour party have criticised the expenditure. In September 2023, the National Audit Office criticised the government's justification for paying a £265,000 bill for Boris Johnson's legal fees relating to Partygate, saying
14030-517: Was obvious that Johnson was furious with them, and had left them in no doubt that he thought they had let him down. Also that Johnson's view seemed to be "that he is not to blame, that everyone else is to blame" and had asked: "How has all this been allowed to happen? How has it come to this? How haven't you sorted this out?" Shipman wrote that sources present said senior staff "studied the floor". Shipman added that "insiders said Reynolds, his deputy, Stuart Glassborow, Dan Rosenfield, ... and some members of
14152-421: Was on 30 November 2021 of 10 Downing Street staff gatherings during the 2020 Christmas season . Johnson said rules had been followed, and Downing Street denied that a party took place. Reports of further events emerged. In January 2022, the Metropolitan Police opened an investigation into potential breaches of COVID-19 regulations, which led to fixed penalty notices being issued. Johnson made several statements to
14274-399: Was present or not. A spokesman for the prime minister said he still had confidence in Reynolds. Campaigners, including the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, called for Reynolds to be dismissed. On 11 January, the Metropolitan Police said it was in contact with the government over "widespread reporting relating to alleged breaches" of COVID rules. There was additional reporting of
14396-542: Was published on 31 January 2022. Gray's final report in May 2022 described multiple events, including excessive drinking and a lack of respect shown to cleaning and security staff. She concluded that senior political and civil service leadership "must bear responsibility for this culture". Public disquiet over the events led to a decline in public support for Johnson, the government and the Conservatives, and contributed to
14518-438: Was reported to have been held on 27 November 2020 and attended by Johnson. A Christmas party on 18 December was reported, and a smaller gathering on 13 November "where they were all getting totally plastered". Downing Street denied that a party had taken place. The official response to the Daily Mirror report was that "Covid rules have been followed at all times". The following day, other media outlets reported further details of
14640-483: Was something that was against the rules". Sky News reported that one Conservative MP described Johnson in the interview as "absolutely beaten" and Rigby described him as looking "defeated". The i described the interview as "excruciating". Asked about Johnson saying he did not know it was a party, Starmer said: "The cover-up isn't worse than the crime, but the cover-up compounds the crime. Johnson's now on his third defence. His first defence when we tackled him on this at
14762-611: Was supported by allies including Nadine Dorries , who called the report "quite bizarre" and said "any Conservative MP who would vote for this report is fundamentally not a Conservative", as well as Brendan Clarke-Smith, Simon Clarke, James Duddridge, Jake Berry, Michael Fabricant , Andrea Jenkyns and Zac Goldsmith . Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg stated that the committee had "over-egged their particular pudding and made themselves look vindictive and actually therefore helped Boris Johnson". Former Conservative minister Michael Heseltine said, "We've had four days of this report and
14884-476: Was working on Johnson and Symonds' flat at the time. It was said a Union Jack cake was served and attendees sang "Happy Birthday". Downing Street said the prime minister attended for less than ten minutes. A spokesperson for Lytle's company said: "Lulu was not invited to any birthday celebrations for the Prime Minister as a guest. Lulu entered the Cabinet Room briefly as requested, while waiting to speak with
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