Tories’ anger as Johnson admits being at No.10 garden party

But PM claims it was a ‘work meeting’

ACONSERVATIVE MP says he is “furious” over the now notorious May 2020 Downing Street garden party at the height of lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted he did attend the party, as he was interrogated in the House of Commons on Wednesday – and apologised.

But he insisted he thought it was a work meeting, saying: “When I went into that garden just after six on May 20, 2020, to thank groups of staff before going back into my office 25 minutes later to continue working, I believed implicitly that this was a work event.”

Labour leader Keir Starmer told the Commons that voters think the Prime Minister is lying and asked if he was “going to do the decent thing and resign”.

On the same day the party took place, Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden told the nation at a televised Downing Street press conference: “You can meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor, public place provided that you stay two metres apart.”

MP Julian Knight (Con, Solihull) said: “I’m so proud of the sacrifices made by those in Solihull and around the country to keep our country safe during this pandemic so I am as furious as anyone on reading these reports.

“It’s right that an inquiry is happening, but when it is concluded anyone found to have acted wrongly must be held to account.”

MP Andrew Mitchell (Con, Sutton Coldfield) said he had been contacted by “many” constituents over the Downing Street event.

Mr Mitchell pointed out that constituents had been unable even to attend the funerals of relatives because of lockdown rules.

In a statement, Mr Mitchell said he was waiting for the findings of the inquiry.

He said: “I am awaiting the report on these matters from Sue Gray. Many constituents – some of who lost loved ones to whom they could not say goodbye – have contacted me.”

But Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire, appeared to defend the gathering, saying it “would not have increased the risk of contagion”.

In remarks on Twitter, Mr Fabricant said: “Was the Downing Street Party a “flagrant breach of the rules” as Labour are happily claiming? Sue Gray will decide, but here are the facts:

“1) There are 80/90 offices in the Downing Street complex with key workers who were all operating closely together indoors.

“2) Only they were invited to relax in the open air (an enclosed garden) and would not have increased the risk of contagion.

“3) No outside guests were invited at all.

“4) These people had worked incredibly hard on all our behalves on the vaccine programme etc.”

But West Midlands mayor Andy Street said he was left in disbelief over the party reports. The Conservative mayor, whose mother Jacky died of Covid in February last year, said finding out about the gathering in the garden at No 10 when the country was under restrictions was “pretty incredible”.

The 58-year-old said he is “very hungry” to find out what happened.

“When I saw this I thought, ‘I can’t really believe this’, if I’m honest,” he said.

“It was May 2020, a time when we were all restricted. My idea of going out was to walk along the canal with one friend, frankly, and I’m sure there are lots of people in the West Midlands who have their own recollections of what they were doing in May 2020. So yes, it is very difficult to believe.”

Mr Street added: “And I’m sure that when the inquiry finds out the facts, then the conclusions and the consequences will be acted upon.”

Anyone found to have acted wrongly must be held to account. Julian Knight MP (Con), above