Anger is continuing to build after fresh leaks have revealed that more boozy parties were held at Downing Street during lockdown when restrictions banned indoor mixing in April 2021.
In the latest addition to the ongoing “partygate” crisis that’s threatening the Prime Minister’s political future, the two separate gatherings – which were originally reported in The Telegraph yesterday evening – were allegedly said to have occurred on the 16 April, which was the night before the Queen was forced to sit by herself at her husband Prince Philip’s funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
The gatherings were reported to have included people drinking and dancing to music until the early hours of the morning.
It is claimed that the two 16 April events were held in two different parts of the Downing Street complex, but later joined together in the garden, with around 30 people attending both gatherings combined.
The Telegraph reported that one leaving event was held for James Slack – the Prime Minister’s departing Director of Communications, who left to become Deputy Editor-in-Chief at The Sun newspaper – while another was for one of Mr Johnson’s personal photographers.
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It was reported that one staff member was said to have acted as a DJ at one of the events, while another is reported to have expressed fears that too much wine was being spilled on a carpet, while one eyewitness even told the newspaper that a staff member used and broke a child’s swing in the garden belonging to Mr Johnson’s son, Wilfred.
🔴EXCLUSIVE: Two parties held in Downing Street as Queen and country mourned death of Prince Philip https://t.co/iyngw6pRrB
The newspaper’s account of the parties also claimed that one attendee was sent to a nearby supermarket store with a suitcase to be filled with bottles of wine and brought back to Downing Street.
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James Slack has released a statement this morning saying he wanted to “apologise unreservedly for the anger and hurt caused” by the gathering held to mark the leaving of his role, adding that the event “should not have happened at the time that it did” and that he “takes full responsibility”.
A Number 10 spokesperson told The Telegraph that the Prime Minister was not in Downing Street that day.
He was said to have been at chequers.
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Yet the leaks of these newly-alleged parties only appears to be adding to the growing calls for Mr Johnson to resign or be removed from his role.
Sir Ed Davey – the leader of the Liberal Democrats – took to Twitter to call for the Prime Minister to resign following the fresh claims, saying: “The Queen sitting alone, mourning the loss of her husband, was the defining image of lockdown. Not because she is the Queen, but because she was just another person, mourning alone like too many others.
“Whilst she mourned, Number 10 partied. Johnson must go.”
The Queen sitting alone, mourning the loss of her husband, was the defining image of lockdown. Not because she is the Queen, but because she was just another person, mourning alone like too many others. Whilst she mourned, Number 10 partied. Johnson must go.
His comments were also echoed by Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, who too took to Twitter yesterday to write: “The Queen sat alone in mourning like so many did at the time with personal trauma and sacrifice to keep to the rules in the national interest.
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“I have no words for the culture and behaviours at Number 10, and the buck stops with the PM.”
Fran Hall – from the campaign group COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice – added: “If your neighbours had behaved like this, you’d have been disgusted. For the people running the country to do it and then lie about it, shows a complete disdain for the general public.”
Ms Hall added: “The Conservative MPs that are keeping him in power disgrace their country.”
The Queen sat alone in mourning like so many did at the time with personal trauma & sacrifice to keep to the rules in the national interest. I have no words for the culture & behaviours at number 10 and the buck stops with the PM. https://t.co/OZD3GEBL4z
Five conservative MPs – Caroline Nokes, Douglas Ross, Sir Roger Gale, William Wragg, and the latest, Andrew Bridgen – have publicly announced that they have submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
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If a total of 54 letters are received, Mr Johnson will be forced to face a confidence vote over his leadership.
At the time when the newly-alleged parties were held back in April 2021, the country was in a period of national mourning, and England was still under strict COVID lockdown rules that banned socialising with other households indoors unless you had formed a support bubble, and people in England were also prevented from meeting outdoors in groups larger than six, or from more than two households.
Restrictions also limited funerals like Prince Philip’s to just 30 attendees with strict social distancing, while only 15 were allowed to gather for wakes.
These multiple allegations of COVID rule-breaking, both Downing Street and other government buildings, are currently subject to an investigation by senior Civil Servant,Sue Gray – however, she is not expected to report on her findings until next week at the earliest.
The significant seizes and arrests come after detectives from GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group executed 11 warrants at addresses across Rochdale and Lancashire yesterday morning (17 April), that were believed to be connected to a large-scale drugs conspiracy.
As well as raiding a number of residential properties, several warrants were also executed at premises that police believed to be ‘stash houses’.
A search of all premises raided lead to several mobile phones, quantities of cocaine, and cannabis plants all being seized, as well as an estimated £20,000 in cash.
Eight people have been arrested and £20k cash has been seized during early-morning police raids in Rochdale / Credit: GMP
Following the raids, a total of eight people, who are between the ages of 27 and 56, have all been arrested on conspiracy to supply drugs, it has been confirmed, and they currently remain in police custody for questioning.
These are the latest arrests in what is part of GMP’s ongoing investigations into the criminal use of encrypted mobile phones.
Back in 2020, as a result of the NCA take down of Encrochat – which is the encrypted messaging platform once used by criminals across the globe – GMP was handed hundreds and thousands of messages from the once-secure platform, and it gave detectives “insight into the criminal underworld which had never been seen before”.
👮9 arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply drugs. 💰£20k cash seized. 🚓cocaine and cannabis seized.
Over the last few years, GMP says it has been “systematically” working its way through these messages to attribute them to criminals across Greater Manchester and the North West.
“We have seen great huge successes to date,” GMP has admitted.
Speaking following the early-morning raids in Rochdale and Lancashire yesterday, Detective Sergeant Rich McCorry, from GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group, said in a statement: “The ability for criminals to benefit from the proceeds of drugs is a key driver for organised crime, and we have specialist detectives working tirelessly to eliminate the key players from criminal networks across the region.
“[Yesterday’s] action is a result of months of hard work by detectives, whose proactive investigations into the drugs trade in Manchester has led them through these doors today.
“We will continue to employ every possible tactic to target and disrupt organised crime groups, and ensure they are brought to justice.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Mother of Manchester Arena attack victim to walk to Downing Street to demand new security law
Emily Sergeant
The mother of a Manchester Arena attack victim is to walk from Manchester to Downing Street to demand a new security law.
Figen Murray OBE, whose son, Martyn Hett, was one of the 22 victims that sadly lost their life during the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, has been tirelessly campaigning for the introduction of new legislation that tightens security protocols at public venues across the UK for several years now – but this will be her biggest challenge yet.
On 7 May, she plans to set off from the place where Martyn died in Manchester city centre, and walk all the way to Downing Street.
Her expected arrival in London on 22 May will be both the seventh anniversary of the horrific attack, and of her son’s death.
The legislation Ms Murray is campaigning for the introduction of is known as ‘Martyn’s Law’, and it will require premises to fulfil what the Government has called “necessary but proportionate” steps, according to their capacity, to help keep the general public safe.
Today, we announced how #MartynsLaw will help protect public spaces from terror attacks.
Named in of honour of Martyn Hett, who lost his life in the Manchester Arena attack, this is what the law will do ⤵️
The law was approved in September 2022, but is still yet to be formally introduced.
A consultation was launched back in February to help work out the best way to introduce the law nationwide, and the public was invited to have their say on the proposals which sought to “scale-up preparedness for terrorist attacks” and make sure the public is protected – but this consultation closed on 18 March, and the results are said to be being considered by the Government, according to BBC reports.
Ms Murray is expected to be joined by Brendan Cox – the widower of MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in 2016 – and Nick Aldworth, who is a former national counter-terrorism coordinator, on her march to Downing Street.
Figen Murray’s son, Martyn Hett, who lost his life during the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 / Credit: gov.uk
She will also pay her respects at the sites of a number of terror attacks along the way on her 200-mile journey.
Reflecting on it being almost five years on from the Government’s original commitment to ‘Martyn’s Law’ ahead of her walk to London, Ms Murray says she believes the fact that the draft legislation still hasn’t been tabled is “putting our country at risk”.
“No parent should have to experience the pain and loss I’ve felt,” Ms Murray told the BBC.
'I don't want other people to be like me with their child's ashes on a bookshelf at home'
Figen Murray's son Martyn Hett was killed in the Manchester Arena attack and she told #BBCBreakfast why she is walking 200 miles to Downing Street to demand tighter security at public… pic.twitter.com/t5CO0aIhuS
“I truly believe we have an opportunity to make public spaces safer and more secure by introducing Martyn’s Law.”
Following the closing of the public consultation on ‘Martyn’s Law’ last month, a Home Office spokesperson thanked Ms Murray for her “tireless support in the development of this vital reform”.
The spokesperson’s statement continues: “We are reviewing the findings [of the public consultation] to ensure all feedback is fully considered, and working to finalise the legislation with a view to introducing it as soon as parliamentary time allows.”
The Manc -
14th January 2022 
