10 Downing Street

Boris Johnson’s Fines for Lockdown Parties at Downing Street, Explained | Eater London

"Within the walls of 10 Downing Street I document a string of gatherings during 2020 and into 2021 that appear to breach the government’s own COVID rules: a garden “bring your own booze” event in May 2020 invited by an email from principal private secretary Martin Reynolds to about 100 people, cheese-and-wine get-togethers photographed by the Guardian, a surprise birthday party with cake and M&S picnic food, tinsel-decorated Christmas quizzes and a December 2020 digital quiz captured in a Daily Mirror photo showing an open bottle of champagne beside a tinsel-clad aide, and ITV footage of staff — including Allegra Stratton — laughing about a “boozy party” for around 40 people. There were rumours of an image of Johnson holding a can of Stella Artois and reports he boasted about attending the U.K.’s most “unsocially distanced party.” Investigations by Sue Gray and the Metropolitan Police followed, fines were issued in April 2022 to Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and other ministers, and Johnson later admitted on 12 January 2022 that he had attended an illegal garden gathering in May 2020, saying he thought it was a “work event” and that he stayed for 25 minutes." - Eater Staff