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Kate Plummer
Jan 25, 2022
Boris Johnson Partygate: When will Sue Gray's report be released?
Independent TV
Boris Johnson is once again embroiled in a lockdown party scandal.
ITV News understands that Carrie Johnson helped organise a surprise bash for the PM on 19th June 2020 just after 2pm, when people could only meet outside in groups of six, socially distanced, as the first lockdown continued.
It is said that the interior designer, Lulu Lytle, who was (controversially) renovating Johnson's flat at the time attended the event, that they gave him a cake, sang happy birthday, and chowed down on picnic food from M&S. It allegedly lasted for 20 to 30 minutes - like all good parties - and staff say Johnson attended for 10 minutes.
Later in the evening the PM reportedly hosted family friends in his residence for another gathering, though Downing Street deny this.
The revelation comes amid the discovery of a string of alleged parties with more egregious events including an alleged party hosted the night before the Queen attended Prince Philip's funeral alone to comply with Covid restrictions, and a confirmed drinks party in May 2020 hosted by Johnson's permanent private secretary, Martin Reynolds.
Johnson admitted he attended this drinks event, apologised, but insisted he believed it was a work event. He also implored people to wait for senior civil servant Sue Gray to conclude her inquiry into these events before making a judgement, and we won't have to wait much longer because Gray is expected to finish dotting the 'i's and crossing her 't's this week and publish a report.
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But as news of yet another party broke last night, people couldn't wait for Gray and instead reacted angrily on social media, though a few found a funny side too.
Here's how people reacted:
Let\u2019s be fair: he didn\u2019t know it was a cake. He thought it was his policy brief\u2026 and since he never reads his briefs, how was he to know it was a cake? People are so unreasonable. https://twitter.com/paulbranditv/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Tim Farron (@Tim Farron) 1643052011
\u201cSue Gray can\u2019t release the report if she never finishes it cuz new parties keep being added\u201dpic.twitter.com/L8iezA5gZ6— Louis Staples (@Louis Staples) 1643049546
Oh my god. Carrie literally organised him an entirely illegal surprise(!) birthday party in the actual cabinet room. Must admit, Carrie being behind the plot to destroy her own husband is not the twist I expected.https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1485677273269387269\u00a0\u2026— Tom Peck (@Tom Peck) 1643048750
\u2018I did not know it was my birthday, or that I had planned a birthday party. I just walked in and there was my wife, friends and a cake with candles.\u2019\n\n\u2018Yes, they sang Happy Birthday to me, but we\u2019ll wait for the report to see if it was an actual party.\u2019https://www.itv.com/news/2022-01-24/boris-johnson-had-birthday-bash-during-lockdown-itv-news-understands\u00a0\u2026— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan \ud83d\udc99 (@Dr Rosena Allin-Khan \ud83d\udc99) 1643049479
We had a funeral over the internethttps://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Jon Cartwright (@Jon Cartwright) 1643062070
They got the interior decorator from the other scandal to attend this scandal are you actually serious— Martin F. Robbins (@Martin F. Robbins) 1643051631
pic.twitter.com/ocUg2X1bYA— wint MP (@wint MP) 1643055103
Hands. Space. Colin the Caterpillar shoved in my face.https://twitter.com/paulbranditv/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— amar singh (@amar singh) 1643050747
He wasn\u2019t aware it was his birthday.— Sue Perkins \ud83d\udc99 (@Sue Perkins \ud83d\udc99) 1643050041
So now we discover Colin the Caterpillar broke lockdown rules. Sad and unexpected.— Rupert Hawksley (@Rupert Hawksley) 1643051373
Boris Johnson\u2019s aide, Rafe Hubris BA (oxon), phoning the Prime Minister RE: His birthday party in lockdown.pic.twitter.com/xerC3nWxj0— Josh \u2018On Tour Link in Bio\u2019 Berry (@Josh \u2018On Tour Link in Bio\u2019 Berry) 1643052882
Did these lot get any work done??? Whether it was an hour, 30 mins, 20 mins or 10 it was breaking the rules. Rules meant for everyone.https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Adil Ray OBE (@Adil Ray OBE) 1643050691
Breaking: Sue Gray has applied for the Watford job.— Gary Lineker \ud83d\udc99 (@Gary Lineker \ud83d\udc99) 1643051497
\u2066@BorisJohnson\u2069 this is my daughter, all dressed up, celebrating her birthday, with her mates, on zoom. She\u2019s 8 and felt less entitled, acted more responsibly and exercised more self control than you. You\u2019re literally less impressive than an 8 year oldpic.twitter.com/VHPdsctmtn— Gary Younge (@Gary Younge) 1643059197
Tory policy in the 2020s:pic.twitter.com/0a8CwR28CU— SHANE REACTION (@SHANE REACTION) 1643064823
It\u2019s my party and I\u2019ll \u201clie\u201d if I want to , lie if I want to \u2026.— Gary Neville (@Gary Neville) 1643050383
I\u2019ve been to fewer parties in my entire thirties than Boris Johnson attended in a national lockdown— Greg Jenner (@Greg Jenner) 1643050393
Petition to rename Number 10 Studio 54.— Mike McCahill (@Mike McCahill) 1643051372
"I've come to my own birthday party by mistake!"pic.twitter.com/CiK3yZ1Rwn— Sophie Hall (@Sophie Hall) 1643049485
His leaving drinks are gonna be so sick tho— Ahir Shah (@Ahir Shah) 1643050282
No, no, no, surely it was a *work event*. \n\nA work event with a cake. \n\nAnd his wife. \n\nAnd a surprise. \n\nBut a work event nevertheless (!)https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1643049078
Good luck saying this was a "work event", @BorisJohnson https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Zarah Sultana MP (@Zarah Sultana MP) 1643050617
Even after all that\u2019s happened, this is still flabbergasting\n\nEveryone else was missing birthdays & missing loved ones. How could they possibly think this was OK?\n\nIt\u2019s Boris Johnson\u2019s total & careless disrespect for rules he set for others & for sacrifices everyone else madehttps://twitter.com/paulbranditv/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Yvette Cooper (@Yvette Cooper) 1643056413
\u201cI was present for 25 minutes or so to meet with work colleagues and blow out candles\u201d https://twitter.com/paulbranditv/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/Q3Q7EIDPNX— Nooruddean (@Nooruddean) 1643049051
I don't know about you but I always invite my interior designer who is being paid for by someone who wants the wheels greased to my work based Birthday parties.https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Jess Phillips MP (@Jess Phillips MP) 1643055466
cake! *chef's kiss*https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677107556540424\u00a0\u2026— Richard Hall (@Richard Hall) 1643049138
indy100 has contacted Downing Street to comment on this story.
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