But the prime minister denied this Tuesday “categorically” that he was warned about that party in the garden of the residence and that he could be breaking the rules of confinement.
“No one warned me that it was against the rules,” said the premier, who clarified that he would have remembered.
“My recollection is going out into the garden for about 25 minutes, which I implicitly thought was a work meeting, and talking to the staff thanking them,” he reaffirmed.
The British government is accused of holding a dozen parties in full confinement while forcing the British to drastically reduce their personal contacts due to the coronavirus, which increased this week the pressure for the British leader to present his resignation from office.
Opposition leaders like Labor Keir Starmer and even an important group of Conservative MPs are pressuring the Prime Minister to resign.
Last week the British television channel ITV revealed one of the first evidences of the parties organized in Downing Street, by publishing the existence of an email that invited the staff of the residence to a picnic and in which he asked them to bring their own drink to make the most of the good weather.
Around 40 staff were reported to have gathered in the Downing Street garden on the night of May 20, including Johnson and his wife Carrie, something for which the Prime Minister apologized days later in the House of Commons, saying he believed that it was a “work event”.
“I want to apologize. I know millions of people in this country have made extraordinary sacrifices in the last 18 months. I know the heartbreak they’ve been through: unable to mourn their families, unable to live their lives the way they want or to do things they love,” Johnson told lawmakers.
In his blog, echoed by mainstream British media, Cummings said he had raised his concerns about the event directly with the prime minister and assured that he is prepared to give his testimony under oath that Boris Johnson lied to Parliament about the party.
As detailed by Cummings, the main private secretary to Prime Minister Martin Reynolds, invited people to a picnic with alcoholic beverages and that at least two people warned him to cancel the invitation.
However, he maintained that the premier had agreed to go ahead and repeatedly assured Parliament that he had no idea of any party.
“The May 20th event alone, no matter the series of other celebrations, means that the PM lied to Parliament about the parties. Not just me, but other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time and would testify under oath that this is what happened,” he said.
The staff of the official residence were also accused of organize another dance party until the early hours of April 16, 2021, while the country was mourning the death of Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II and coronavirus rules prohibited gatherings of more than two people outdoors.
The population was even asked not to leave flowers for the prince at the entrance of Buckingham and Windsor palaces to prevent people from gathering.
On Friday, Downing Street apologized to the British monarch for those parties.
Source From: Ambito
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