Boris Johnson’s 2020 birthday party linked to ‘partygate’: Report

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, has landed into another lockdown-flouting controversy after reports emerged that he celebrated his birthday in June 2020. United Kingdom had strict COVID-19 lockdown policies at that time.

A spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s office told CNN that Boris Johnson hosted a gathering at his official residence during the first lockdown phase of United Kingdom.

Also Read: Has rule-breaker Boris Johnson met his match in ‘partygate’?

The Downing Street official said in a statement that a “group of staff working in No 10 that day gathered briefly in the Cabinet Room after a meeting to wish the Prime Minister a happy birthday”.

Boris Johnson was there in the Cabinet Room “for less than ten minutes”, the Downing Street official added, according to reports from CNN.

In June 2020, the COVID-19 restrictions instructed that people were only allowed to meet outdoors in groups of six, while indoor social gatherings were not permitted.

A CNN report further alleges that two separate birthday gatherings were organised for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On June 19, the cabinet office saw nearly 30 people gather to wish Boris Johnson. 

The second gathering was at the Prime Minister’s residence in London, where family and friends came together to celebrate his birthday.

Also Read: Boris Johnson’s baby Romy was ‘badly hit’ by COVID, now ‘on the mend’

Downing Street went on the back foot to defend its position for the evening gathering. A spokesperson said in a statement, “This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time, the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening”, according to reports from CNN.

The British Prime Minister has been in the middle of the ‘Partygate’ scandal for nearly a month. He publicly apologised for hosting a party in the No. 10 garden while the United Kingdom had laid out strict lockdown policies to curb the spread of COVID-19 while the pandemic was at its onset.