The bereaved daughter of a Wigan man who died just a few days before the alleged Downing Street ‘drinks party’ has called for the Prime Minister to resign.
55-year-old Shaun Brady from Hindley died just four days before the “bring your own booze” garden party hosted at 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2020 after having contracted COVID-19 on the way to his job as a key worker at the Kraft Heinz factory in Wigan, despite him being fit and healthy and his family doing “everything they could” to keep him safe during lockdown.
Now, his daughter Hannah Brady has been speaking out to share her emotional story, saying that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “a walking public health hazard” and that there is a “moral duty” for him to be removed.
Hannah said her dad’s death certificate was signed on the day the government “partied”.
“Key workers like my dad who died during the pandemic because he went to work to serve this country did not break the rules and paid the ultimate price,” she told the BBC.
ADVERTISEMENT
She also revealed in an appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning that the Prime Minister had “got five minutes more to socialise and ‘bring his own booze’ than I did for my dad’s funeral”, which was just 20-minutes long.
"He got 5 minutes more to socialise and 'bring his own booze' than I did for my dad's funeral"
Hannah Brady's dad Shaun died days before the Downing St garden party.
Ms Brady’s calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation of course come after on Monday, ITV published a leaked email from Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, which appeared to invite 100 staff to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” at a time when lockdown rules in England banned large outdoor gatherings from taking place.
ADVERTISEMENT
The invitation encouraged people to “make the most of the lovely weather” after what had been an “incredibly busy period”.
After garnering mass critique for refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the event for several days post the surfacing of the leaked email, Mr Johnson yesterday confirmed his attendance and publicly apologised to MPs during what was heated Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons yesterday.
Mr Johnson said that he “takes responsibility” for the gathering, but continued to say he believed it was “a work event”, and in hindsight, should have sent everyone back inside.
Hannah told ITV she felt “sick” at the idea the Prime Minister was “making the most of the lovely weather” while her father’s death certificate was being signed.
Ms Brady’s story was highlighted in the House of Commons by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs, who described the Prime Minister as a “man without shame”, before telling MPs: “Her father died just days before the drinks trolley was being wheeled through Downing Street, and last year Hannah met the Prime Minister in the Downing Street garden.
“She looked the Prime Minister in the eye and told him of her loss.
“The Prime Minister told Hannah he had done everything he could to protect her dad.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The PM is a man without shame", says Sir Keir Starmer, as he recounts the story of Hannah Brady's father who died with #COVID19. He asks Boris Johnson, 'do you understand why it makes her feel sick to think about the way you've behaved?'https://t.co/eG4ufHEz5tpic.twitter.com/Tnk6GWU4jz
“Looking back, what Hannah told me last night was she realises the Prime Minister had partied in that same garden the very day her dad’s death certificate was signed, so what Hannah wants to know is this – does the Prime Minister understand why it makes her feel sick to think about the way he’s behaved?”
Mr Johnson then replied: “I sympathise deeply with Hannah, with people who have suffered up and down this country during the pandemic, and I repeat that I wish things had been done differently on that evening, and I repeat my apology for all the misjudgments that may have been made, that were made on my watch in No 10 and across the government.
“I want to reassure the people of this country, including Hannah and her family, that we have been working to do everything we can to protect her and her family.”
In a heartfelt statement responding to the Prime Minister, Hannah – who is also a spokesperson for campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice – said: “The Prime Minister’s lies have finally caught up with him.
“Not content with kicking bereaved families like mine in the teeth by breaking the rules he set and then lying to us about it, he’s now taking the British public for fools by pretending he ‘didn’t know it was a party’. Every time he lies to us, he pours more salt into the wounds of those who have already lost so much to this pandemic, but that doesn’t stop him.”
ADVERTISEMENT
"An apology needs to come from someone sincere, owning up to something they've done before they get caught"
Hannah Brady's dad Shaun died just days before the Downing Street garden party.
“He’s incapable of telling the truth and he needs to go,” Hannah continued.
“The Prime Minister is now a walking public health hazard, who has lost the trust, respect and good faith of the public.
“If restrictions are needed to protect lives in the future, people will simply laugh at him. He has no moral authority and will cost lives. He has broken his own rules and if he had any decency, he would now resign, rather than hide behind an internal ‘inquiry’.
“If he doesn’t, his MPs should remove him – they have a moral duty to do so.”
Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Danny Jones
If you’ve passed through Manchester Piccadilly of late, you might have noticed two things: one, it’s really quiet, and two, there’s loads of cool Britpop merch and memorabilia on display, including original Oasis, The Verve, Inspiral Carpets art and more – all courtesy of Microdot.
Set up as part of the city’s own BRITs celebrations, along with a raft of other nationwide festivities, as the annual music award ceremony prepares to make its Manc debut at the Co-op Live this month, the showcase features special edition frames and more, all pride of place in the middle of the train station.
This collection, simply entitled ‘A Microdot Design’, is all done by the legendary Brian Cannon, the graphic designer and art director behind so much recognisable visual material within the genre.
We recently had the honour of speaking to the man himself in person ahead of Piccadilly’s temporary closure; you can see our interview with him right here:
The Wigan-born artist and visionary didn’t just make promotional materials for some of the biggest bands in the 1990s; he’s responsible for what has gone on to become some of the most familiar iconography in British music history.
With this pop-up exhibit available for a limited time only, we strongly urge you to go along and, for once, take your time rather than rushing around the station as you peruse the boards placed right near the main entrance.
Charting his work from circa 1990 up until now, it’s crazy to see just how many of Brian and Microdot’s fingerprints are all over so many different bands and artists.
From native names like Oasis, The Verve and the Inspirals, as mentioned, as well as the likes of Cast, Super Furry Animals, Suede and Ash, plus so many more, this guy has been nothing short of prolific over the past few decades.
Audio North took a little tour of the King Street South unit last year in the lead-up to Oasis Live ’25 reunion world tour, and we felt like kids in a Britpop sweetshop.
While this site has sadly since closed, shutting up shop back in July, Brian’s mini, modest, but nevertheless magic Microdot Boutique up in the Lake District is still standing.
Located in the popular North West town and tourist attraction, Kendal, it’s worth a trip there to see more of his portfolio alone.
Currently on display at Manchester Piccadilly ahead of the full 2026 BRITs Week and shindig at Co-op Live, it’s one of the best completely free things you can do in town at the moment – but the exhibition finishes on Sunday, 1 March, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Speaking of the BRIT Awards, if you’re wondering what else is on as 0161 gets ready welcome them for their two-year stint (at least), look no further…
Two brothers from Oldham are beating out the likes of Taylor Swift in the iTunes charts
Danny Jones
A pair of brothers from Oldham who simply go by Two Connors are now holding on to the top spot in one of the biggest iTunes charts, and they’re beating the likes of Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and many more.
Stuff your global music stars, we’ll back a duo from Greater Manchester all day long.
Danny and Callum Connor, a couple of blokes from Oldham in their mid-30s, are currently number one in the iTunes singles charts with their latest song, ‘Familiar Faces’, but this isn’t the first time they’ve gone big with a release online.
Carving out their own little corner not only in the old Lancashire borough but a small pocket in the UK’s wider grime, drill, rap and hip-hop scene, they’ve only gotten bigger over the last 18 months or so.
After releasing their first two tracks back in 2024, Callum and Danny have been on a very gradual rise, but they quickly gained a cult local following in and around Oldham.
Writing about life and around the area, with high personal and anecdotal lyrics that feel like niche references and in-jokes specifically for‘Roughyed’ residents – it’s not just music by them but FOR them.
In addition to recording their own unique cover of ‘Bad Habits’ by Ed Sheeran, they also went fairly viral for releasing a music video featuring crowds of local children.
Putting their own chant-based chorus slant on ‘Hi Ho, Hi Ho, “It’s off to Work We Go”‘, written by Mitch Miller and The Sandpipers (yes, as in the main theme from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), it was a fairly radio-friendly tune that was easy for kids and more to sing along with.
With various other natives getting involved in the music video, joining them on the town centre streets and lip-syncing the lyrics, it was circulated online all over Britain and beyond.
You can watch it in full down below.
Fast forward to February 2026, and not only have they grown their following across the region, but even further afield now, as it turns out; currently sitting ahead of ‘Opalite’ from worldwide smash-hit album, The Life of a Showgirl, who needs big label backing, eh?
Bringing smiles to even more Greater Mancs by quite literally shining the spotlight on ‘Familiar Faces’ and punters from nearby pubs such as The Up Stepps Inn and former nightclub Sruples, it is a real tribute to their homeland.
Only time will tell how long they’ll cling to that iTunes top spot, but with nearly 73,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and counting, they might be one of the biggest music names to come out of OL in some time.
In other big news over in Oldham, on the sporting side of things, RLFC are staring down yet more uncertainty, with local hero Bill Quinn also wrapping up his time at the club.
Emily Sergeant -
13th January 2022 
