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.
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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.
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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.
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"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.”
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"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.”
Manchester’s Cat Cafe issues lengthy response to anti-industry statement
Danny Jones
Manchester’s soon-to-return Cat Cafe has shared a lengthy statement responding to the recent suggestion made by leading animal charities that their particular line of business should become a thing of the past.
Cat Cafe Manchester (CCM) closed its city centre premises back in January 2021 like so many others suffering from the post-pandemic struggle, but there are still several other feline-focused coffee shops and similar set-ups located up and down the country.
With that in mind and after the Manchester location announced a comeback later this year – in a prime location on Deansgate, no less – the discussion surrounding the niche industry has turned to issues regarding animal rights, welfare and overall quality of life.
However, rather than simply firing back at the likes of the RSPCA and Cats Protection over their concerns and belief that these venues should be “phased out”, the company has come out to agree with their overarching point whilst still assuring that their sites “are different”.
As you can see in an extensive reply, the brand begins by writing: “We are in strong agreement that there needs to be more regulation in the industry, as we believe many cafes are operating in manners that are harmful to cats.”
They detail how they don’t support ventures that operate by simply piggybacking on vital animal rescue procedures, citing that around 90% of the UK’s cat cafes simply ship prospective pets in and out, creating a stressful environment for its furry residents.
In contrast, Cat Cafe MCR go on to insist that “cats in our cafes are pedigree, as they are best suited to an indoor-only environment [as opposed to rescues who often benefit from outdoor time], and they are bred for temperament, meaning our cats need a lot of attention from people, and also enjoy the company of other cats.
“Our cafes have windows for natural light and there is plenty of space off the cafe floor for cats to get away from customers. They are provided with enough resources spread out throughout a very large building to reduce any competitive behaviour. Our cats are never ever kept in cages – as is the case in some Cat Cafes.”
CCM also explained how the behaviour of their in-house cats is analysed weekly, adding that “if we feel any cat in our cafe is not happy and is showing signs of stress, we would immediately remove them from the environment.”
Besides the obvious soothing quality of the experience for regular customers, cafes like theirs and the canine equivalent CuppaPug in Salford are extremely helpful in providing animal-assisted therapy for people struggling with mental health conditions and those categorised as neurodiverse.
Cat Cafe drew their response to a close by inviting both of the charities in question to work with them in creating new guidelines and strict rules when it comes to animal welfare in these spaces.
They concluded by declaring that not only are they “incredibly difficult to run responsibly” when done properly but that “Cat Cafes are not all the same, and they should not be opened without serious thought and consideration for the cats’ welfare.”
We are still unclear as to when exactly Cat Cafe Manchester will reopen but all we know is that the team will be as dedicated to providing an enjoyable experience for both the animals and visitors when it does.
Sir Gareth Southgate says young men ‘need better role models’ – and more of them
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer and England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has called on contemporary society to do better when it comes to young men, insisting that boys today need real role models.
In fact, not to put words in his mouth, but he isn’t just calling out for more of them; more precisely, he believes they need better ones than some of the figures who have found a following in recent years.
Speaking in one of his first public addresses since being knighted in the 2025 New Year’s Honours list and one of a scarce few since stepping down as the Three Lions boss, Southgate gave a lengthy speech as part of the BBC’s annual ‘Richard Dimbleby Lecture’.
The former Crystal Palace, Middlesborough and Aston Villa defender touched on a number of topics in his discussion, including the troubling rise of “callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain” and are finding increasing popularity on social media.
Southgate has strong opinions on the current archetype of ‘role models’ that young men are gravitating towards.
Southgate went on to express the crucial nature of “identity, connection and culture” in contemporary society, insisting that current values are drifting off course.
He went on to state that because of the swirling questions surrounding masculinity, “young men end up withdrawing, reluctant to talk or express their emotions […] They spend more time online searching for direction and are falling into unhealthy alternatives like gaming, gambling and pornography.”
Southgate also believes that “if we make life too easy for young boys now, we will inevitably make life harder when they grow up to be young men”, arguing that we are at risk of creating a culture where they fear failure so much that “they fail to try, rather than try and fail.”
Drawing from his own experience as a player and his famous penalty miss in Euro ’96, as well as his multiple attempts at winning a major tournament as the national team coach, he reflected on how these experiences made him who he is today – experiences he navigated through thanks to role models.
Put more simply, he suggested that we need to return focus to the importance of teachers, sports coaches, youth groups and ‘proper’/traditional role models, rather than simply allowing the next generation of young men to resort to poor examples online.
"We have to show young men that character is more important than status."
Gareth Southgate demands leaders step up to become positive role models for 'isolated' young men. pic.twitter.com/FMlnqjppQi
The timing of Southgate’s speech hasn’t been lost on large swathes of the British public, in particular, in light of the hit Netflix drama, Adolescence.
Revolving around the story of a young boy accused of a violent crime towards a young girl, the four-part series touches on incel culture, the growing ‘manosphere’ digital community, controversial figures like Andrew Tate and more.
You can listen to Southgate’s lecture on young men and the importance of role models in full HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
13th January 2022 
