Police are investigating at least three parties Boris Johnson allegedly attended during lockdown and a separate bash held in his Downing Street flat.
A bombshell report into the partygate scandal has revealed that 12 parties allegedly held at the heart of government during Covid lockdowns are being probed by the Metropolitan Police.
The prime minister is understood to have attended at least three of the events under police investigation.
On May 20, an infamous “bring your own booze” party was held. The PM has already admitted to attending it, saying he believed it was a “work event”.
They also include a birthday party on June 19, 2020, thrown by his wife Carrie as a surprise get-together - complete with cake and up to 30 guests. A minister responding to the accusation recently claimed that Johnson was “ambushed by cake” before insisting there was no cake.
Johnson is also reported to have attended a leaving party marking the departure of his former special adviser Lee Cain.
Separately, the Met are investigating a party allegedly held in the Downing Street flat shared by Johnson and his wife Carrie to celebrate Dominic Cummings’ resignation on November 13.
It has been claimed that the victory party was held after the senior aide was pictured leaving with a box of his belongings on November 13, 2020.
Abba’s the “Winner Takes It All” was allegedly played at the event, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Asked by Labour’s Jess Phillips whether he attended a party in his own flat on November 13, Johnson told MPs they would have to wait for the Met inquiry.
A spokesman for the PM’s wife previously said it was “totally untrue” to suggest she held a party in the Downing Street flat on that date. HuffPost UK has contacted Number 10 for comment.
It all comes after top civil servant Sue Gray blamed “failures of leadership and judgment” in Number 10 and the Cabinet Office for the partygate scandal which has engulfed Johnson’s government.
Gray said it was “difficult to justify” the controversial gatherings as she criticised the “excessive consumption of alcohol” by government staff.
The bombshell findings are contained in Gray’s 12-page report into alleged lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, which was finally published at 2.20pm today.
“There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No10 and the Cabinet Office at different times,” she wrote.
In a statement, the Met Police said: “We do understand that the Met’s action in assessing and responding to these allegations will divide opinion.
“However police officers must, based on the information available to them, make carefully considered, difficult decisions, even when to do so is contentious.
“We understand the interest in and impact of this case, and will be progressing the investigation at pace. We are committed to completing our investigations proportionately, fairly and impartially.”