There were Also Parties in Boris Johnson’s Official Residence on the Eve of Prince Philip’s Funeral
Employees of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson celebrated two farewell parties at the official residence at 10 Downing Street on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral last spring.
At the time, the United Kingdom was in lockdown due to the corona crisis and an official period of mourning was in effect on the death of the Prince, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. About thirty people were at both parties, writes The Telegraph, who spoke to those present. Unfortunately, Johnson himself was not there.
One of the parties on April 16 was for James Slack, Johnson’s head of communications, the other for a photographer for the Prime Minister.
The parties, which lasted into the night and where, according to the newspaper, heavy drinking and dancing, started in two different places in the building but merged in the garden during the evening. Under the corona rules in force at the time, adults were not allowed to gather indoors for social activities and outside with no more than six people.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office declined to comment on the parties to The Telegraph. Still, he emphasized that Johnson had been staying at his residence outside London since the previous day. The British Prime Minister has come under fire from both his own Conservative party and the opposition over allegations that he and his staff in 2020 regularly broke corona rules and held parties at the official residence.
On Wednesday, Johnson had to answer to parliament for this. A top official is investigating those allegations. According to The Telegraph, this is the first time the prime minister and his staff have been accused of breaking the rules in 2021.