Johnson-Partygate: New explosive details on illegal lockdown parties - "let off steam"

Created: 01/16/2022, 06:15

By: Richard Strobl

Things are getting increasingly uncomfortable for Boris Johnson.

(Archive) © Stefan Rousseau/dpa

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is coming under pressure over the Partygate affair.

Now there are new details about his lockdown parties.

Update from January 15, 4:59 p.m .:

The “Partygate” affair is getting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson more and more into trouble. Internal investigations are currently underway into the lockdown parties at the seat of government. The results are not yet available, but the opposition's calls for his resignation are getting louder and louder. Now even Johnson's Tory colleagues are shooting at the counted head of state.

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood told the

Johnson must "lead or step aside".

Backbencher and former Johnson ally Andrew Bridgen said he saw the prime minister as having "lost his moral authority to run the country".

Bridgen is among a number of Tory MPs who have already written to express no confidence in Johnson.

Asked about the wine parties in Downing Street, he replied on BBC breakfast television that it didn't matter whether Johnson was there or not.

"Ultimately he is responsible for what goes on in government," he said.

Is Johnson's party over soon?

"Do whatever it takes to get rid of him"

"What we're seeing is a culture where there's a rule for them and the rest of us do as we're told.

It's just unacceptable.” These words echoed in a speech by opposition leader Keir Starmer.

It is now in the “national interest” for Johnson to resign, the Labor leader said at a conference in London on Saturday (January 15).

He called on the Tories to do what is necessary to get rid of Johnson.

First report from January 15:

London – Prime Minister Boris Johnson is coming under pressure from new allegations in the Partygate affair.

According to a new media report, there were not only isolated lockdown parties in Downing Street - they are said to have taken place regularly.

Partygate scandal surrounding Boris Johnson is expanding: new explosive details

According to a report in the English "Mirror", Johnson's employees are said to have met regularly for so-called "Wine Time Friday's" to drink alcohol.

Johnson also specifically encouraged them to do so so they could "let off steam."

The explosive thing is that the indoor meetings at the time mentioned were strictly forbidden due to the applicable corona measures.

The head of government has visited these meetings several times himself, it is said.

The employees bought an office refrigerator especially for the regular meetings to keep their bottles of white wine, Prosecco and beer cool.

Friday meetings have long been a "Downing Street tradition", including under previous British governments, according to The Mirror.

Downing Street lockdown parties: Johnson under pressure

However, the meetings continued even after corona restrictions were imposed. Johnson has been under massive pressure in the "Partygate" affair for a long time, and several members of his Tory party have already called for his resignation. He wants to get out of trouble politically with a comprehensive restart. Internal investigations are currently underway into the lockdown parties in his seat of government, and the prime minister wants to wait for the results.

It was recently reported that there were celebrations at the seat of government on the eve of Queen Consort Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021.

At that time, strict contact and distance rules applied.

Queen Elizabeth II therefore had to sit all alone in the chapel of her Windsor residence when her husband was buried.

Downing Street apologized for this.

"It is deeply unfortunate that this has taken place at a time of national mourning," a Johnson spokesman said.