Staff partied for seven hours in No10 basement on eve of funeral
Revellers spilt alcohol on printer and ordered pizza during event ‘they were definitely trying to hide’
‘If you’re doing this in the basement, you’re doing it to hide the party. There are so many other function rooms’
DOWNING STREET staff partied until 1am in a seven-hour drinking session the night before Prince Philip’s funeral, The Daily Telegraph can disclose, as fresh claims about the event emerged.
People were served wine, and spirits with mixers in plastic disposable cups, with alcohol at one point being spilt on an office printer, according to a witness.
A photograph seen by this newspaper shows No10 staff – some with drinks – gathered in the Downing Street basement, backing up accounts published earlier this month.
Text messages also indicate that attendees were still partying at the centre of Government at 1am, having started at around 6pm.
It is understood that a disposable camera was passed around with photographs taken of the revelry, while others took shots on their smartphones.
The existence of photographs could become a point of focus for Sue Gray’s inquiry into alleged lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. She is expected to release her findings next week. The new details relate to two leaving events held in Downing Street on April 16 last year the night before the Queen sat alone at the funeral of her husband of 73 years.
One event was for James Slack, then Boris Johnson’s director of communications, which took place in the press area and then the garden. Mr Slack has apologised “unreservedly” for the event.
The second, for a departing photographer, was held in the Downing Street basement – the venue for some of the most eye-catching claims. Later, the two gatherings merged in the garden.
At the time, Britain was in a period of mourning after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. Strict government Covid rules said: “You must not socialise indoors except with your household or support bubble.” Tory MPS and Cabinet ministers have expressed their shock at the events that night. Downing Street has apologised to the Queen. Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, this week called the gatherings “wrong in every single way”. Some Tory MPS claimed their emergence triggered rebels to submit letters of no confidence.
The Telegraph can reveal new allegations about the evening, in which around 30 people in total attended both leaving parties. In the basement gathering, attended by those marking the photographer’s departure and not Mr Slack’s, music is said to have been played for hours from a laptop placed on top of a printer, a witness said.
At one point, wine was spilt on the printer and attendees feared it was broken, but a government source said that no equipment was damaged. Takeaway food was also ordered to Downing Street, it is alleged, with four large pizzas being handed around in the garden.
Another claim is that some attendees went down the slide belonging to Wilfred Johnson, Mr Johnson’s son. It has previously been reported that Wilfred’s swing was broken that night.
The Prime Minister was not at either event and spent the day at Chequers, his grace-and-favour country house, according to No10.
The existence of text messages and a photograph of the event – which this newspaper has decided not to reproduce for source protection – could complicate any defence mounted by No 10.
Ms Gray and her investigators have asked some Downing Street officials to hand over their phones, according to a government source.
A former Downing Street special adviser said the party in the basement could only have been held there to avoid suspicion.
“If you’re doing this in the basement, you’re definitely doing it to hide the party,” the former adviser said.
“It’s just unthinkable, because there are so many other function rooms.
“You don’t have to book them out. I never even saw a drinks reception in there when it was raining.”
The room itself is small, with photocopiers and adjoining doors to the “garden rooms” – a suite of offices used by No10 diary secretaries. It also has a small kitchenette used by staff.
Last week, an official spokesman for the Prime Minister said: “It is deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning. No10 has apologised to the Palace.”