British Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s employees had been invited to a “deliver your individual booze” get together within the backyard of his Downing Avenue residence in the course of the first coronavirus nationwide lockdown final yr, based on a leaked e mail seen by the broadcaster ITV.
Johnson, who received a landslide victory in a 2019 election, has confronted a barrage of criticism over alleged events in authorities places of work, together with his personal, in breach of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Round 40 employees gathered within the backyard for the drinks get together, together with Johnson and his spouse Carrie Johnson, ITV mentioned, regardless that on the time social mixing between households was restricted to 2 folks outdoor.
An e mail was despatched by the Prime Minister’s Principal Personal Secretary Martin Reynolds to over 100 staff in Downing Avenue on Might 20, 2020, ITV mentioned. The leaked e mail requested them to deliver alcohol to the get together and to “profit from the beautiful climate.”
“After what has been an extremely busy interval it might be good to profit from the beautiful climate and have some socially distanced drinks within the No10 backyard this night,” Reynolds mentioned within the e mail. “Please be a part of us from 6pm and produce your individual booze!”2
Johnson’s workplace declined to remark.
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On the time, faculties had been shut, and pubs and eating places had been closed, with strict controls on social mixing. Two folks from totally different households had been allowed to satisfy outdoor however provided that maintained a distance of two meters.
A senior authorities official Sue Grey is at the moment investigating the allegations of at the least 5 events held in authorities departments final yr throughout lockdown restrictions.
The allegations have dismayed voters who had been advised by the federal government to fastidiously stick with social distancing guidelines.
Johnson’s Conservatives misplaced an election in a earlier stronghold final month, stepping up stress from his personal lawmakers to reform his group of advisers.
Britain’s official loss of life toll from the COVID-19 pandemic rose above 150,000 on Saturday, the second highest in absolute phrases in Europe, behind solely Russia’s.
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