Inside Politics: Partygate scandal deepens as details of PM’s birthday bash emerge

No 10 confirms gathering took place but insists Johnson was ‘there for less than 10 minutes’, writes Matt Mathers

(PA)

Boris Johnson is this morning rocked by another partygate allegation, with a new report saying he had a birthday party in Downing Street during the first Covid lockdown. No 10 is not denying that the indoor gathering took place but is pushing back against some of the details within the story. Elsewhere, fears of war between Russia and Ukraine are escalating as the US puts 8,500 troops on standby, ready to be deployed to eastern Europe.

Inside the bubble

Commons action kicks off at 11.30am with Foreign Office questions. These are followed by any urgent questions or statements. After that, Tory MP Huw Merriman has a ten minute rule bill on protecting consumers who are double charged. Later, the main business will be report stage consideration of the Judicial Review and Courts Bill, which aims to prevent certain forms of judicial review. Labour’s Liam Byrne has an adjournment debate on the Bromford Estate in his constituency.