Senior Tories tell PM to own up to whether he was ‘at boozy shindig’

Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson says PM does not have to wait for investigation to own up

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street. (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (PA Wire)

Senior Conservatives have urged Boris Johnson to own up to whether he attended a lockdown rule breaking party at No.10.

Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said the prime minister did not need to wait for the outcome of an investigation before admitting his attendance.

And Lord Barwell, Theresa May's former chief of staff, echoed the sentiment, stating: "Let me put this politely: it is not entirely clear why the Prime Minister needs to wait for Sue Gray's report to find out if he went to a party in his own garden."

Meanwhile, the leader of Conservatives in Sunderland said that the party story was “an atrocity” and that Mr Johnson will have to lose his job as prime minister as a result.

“I can’t see how he can continue,” Cllr Antony Mullen told BBC Radio 4’s World at One. It seems pretty obvious to me that Sue Gray’s report will now likely find that he’s misled the House of Commons.

“I just think this is such an atrocity, I can’t see how he can survive. People are asking what the hell he’s doing and why he’s being allowed to continue. I’m not willing to defend the indefensible and none of our members here are either.”

Boris Johnson and his spokespeople has refused to comment on the matter on the basis that a civil service investigation into it is ongoing.

But Ms Davidson said: "This line won't survive 48 hours. Nobody needs an official to tell them if they were at a boozy shindig in their own garden.

"People are rightly furious. They sacrificed so much - visiting sick or grieving relatives, funerals. What [the f***] were any of these people thinking?"

The prime minister and his wife were said to have attended the event of around 40 people on 20 May 2020.

The leaked email invite from Mr Johnson's principal private secretary Martin Reynolds for the gathering, which was obtained by ITV News says: “Hi all,

“After what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening.

“Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!”

Some people with knowledge of the inner workings of Downing Street have commented that the prime minister was likely to have been behind the plans.

Former special adviser Claire Pearsall told Sky News that a private secretary like Mr Reynolds was unlikely to have organised such a drinks unless “the instruction came from the top".

"The private secretary works on behalf of the PM in this case,” she added.

That event came just five days after another gathering in No.10's garden where Mr Johnson and wife Carrie Johnson were pictured having cheese and wine.

The events are separate from the various lockdown-breaking Christmas parties and leaving drinks which took place at the address.

The Tory mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street, said he was “shocked” by Mr Reynolds’ email.

“When I read it last night, I was shocked,” Mr Street told World at One. “It is from a civil servant. What we don’t know is the degree to which the prime minister knew about this. That’s why the inquiry’s got to be done and we will need to get the facts through that.”