UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is currently embattled due to the Downing Street parties which took place while England faced COVID-related lockdowns. Now, according to reports, he’s been pictured raising a can of beer at one of these parties. 

The photo has been unearthed as part of the investigations into the alleged parties that took place between 2020 and 2021. They broke the country’s set norms for indoor and outdoor gatherings. As per The Mirror, this particular picture of the Prime Minister was taken in the Cabinet Room by his official photographer.

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It is among 300 photographs turned over to the Metropolitan Police, who have also launched an investigation into the party. The Guardian reported that Sue Gray, the senior official in charge of compiling the ‘partygate‘ report, handed over the evidence.

Meanwhile, Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, has asked that the pictures be made public. Speaking to The Mirror, she said, “The Downing Street photographer is funded by the taxpayer, and the public have every right to see the photos they pay to have taken, including any of the prime minister’s birthday party”.  

Johnson’s office has already admitted that there was a brief gathering of staff members when the PM’s wife, Carrie Johnson, organized a surprise birthday party, but Johnson only stayed for 10 minutes. The PM has already assured his full cooperation with the police investigation. 

Recently, he also apologized in the House of Commons, after the findings of the Gray report were presented to him. Acknowledging that the public had a right to be outraged since they made numerous sacrifices during the lockdown, Johnson nonetheless veered the conversation towards the achievements of the government under his leadership. 

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He spoke of how UK had dealt with, and gotten ahead of the COVID situation while asserting that the best thing to do would be to get a move on and try to “level up” the country.