DOMINIC CUMMINGS has claimed that there were “socially distanced drinks” held in the Number 10 garden on May 20, 2020 despite warnings that it may have been against the Covid rules in place at the time.
In a blog post this afternoon (Friday), the former Downing Street adviser alleged that he and “at least one other spad [special advisor] warned “in writing” that it “seemed to be against the rules and should not happen”. However, the advice was “ignored”.
He added: “I was ill and went home to bed early that afternoon but am told this event definitely happened.”
Mr Cummings commented: “In my opinion the official who organised this should anyway have been removed that summer because of his failures over Covid. I said this repeatedly to the PM.”
However, he claimed that Boris Johnson “rejected my argument”.
He continued: “In my opinion it would not be fair for most officials who went to the garden for drinks on 20 May to be punished because, given the nature of the invitation, a junior official would be justified in thinking ‘this must somehow be within the rules or X would not have invited me’.”
Mr Cummings also claimed that on the night he left Downing Street, November 13 the same year, he was “told at the time that there was a party in the PM’s flat the night I left and staff in the press office said they could hear the music playing loudly in the press office below”.
He alleged: “Officials I spoke to in 2021 said to me and others that there were various parties after I left and the PM was aware of them.
“I have also been told there are other photos of other parties against the rules in 2021, some picturing the PM.”
On December 19, the Guardian published an image of Boris Johnson pictured with wine and cheese alongside his wife and up to 17 staff in the Downing Street garden on May 15.
Downing Street denied that a social gathering had taken place on that day, telling the paper that staff were working in the afternoon and evening.
In his blog post this afternoon, Mr Cummings reiterated the denial that this was a social gathering, saying that such assertions were “wrong”.
He said: “I had several meetings at that table that day. Before this photo the PM, me and others had a meeting at that table. The meeting ended roughly 6-6.30pm.
“The PM and I continued talking as it broke up. Someone brought a bottle of wine out to the table.”
Mr Cummings said that according to his phone records, he left at around 7.15pm, “shortly after this photo was taken”.
He added that “staff were ENCOURAGED to have meetings in the garden April-August for the obvious reason that we were in a pandemic with an airborne disease and being outside was safer!
“All day every day in this period there were many work meetings in the No. 10 garden.”
The fresh accusations come following claims that other social gatherings took place in Government buildings, including Downing Street, when Covid guidance did not permit them.
Multiple sources told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff in December 2020.
The Sunday Mirror published a photo appearing to show the Prime Minister taking part and sitting between two colleagues. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.
Sources also claimed to the BBC that on November 27 that year there were leaving drinks for aide Cleo Watson, where Mr Johnson is alleged to have made a speech.
The Department for Education confirmed it had an office gathering on December 10, 2020.
The Conservative Party also admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its headquarters in Westminster on December 14 that year.
That gathering was held by the team of Shaun Bailey, the London mayoral candidate for the Tories, who has since stepped down from his London Assembly position.
In May 2020, the UK was still in its first nationwide lockdown. However, the laws were slowly being relaxed.
From May 13, people were permitted to leave home for outdoor recreation beyond just exercise and essential trips.
Starting in May 2020, the laws were slowly relaxed. People were permitted to leave home for outdoor recreation (beyond exercise) from 13 May.
Government guidance at the time stated people could meet “where the gathering is essential for work purposes – but workers should try to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace”.
Credit: Daily Express Newspaper (Dominic Cummings, Former Donning Street Adviser: Photo Credit, The Express Newspaper)