BORIS Johnson reportedly joked to Downing Street staff that “this is the most unsocially distanced party in the UK right now” at a leaving do held during the Covid pandemic.
ITV said the former prime minister made the remarks during a “boozy” party in No 10 while covid restrictions were in place.
The claim is part of a number of new allegations made in an ITV podcast, Partygate: The Inside Story.
The broadcaster said that when it put the quote to Johnson, who announced his resignation as prime minister last summer, the former Conservative leader “did not deny saying it”.
The podcast reports that a source said: “I was working late – some music came on, the mumbling sort of rose, and there were loads of people stood around, but this time I came out because I heard the prime minister speaking and that’s when I heard the quote: ‘This is the most unsocially distanced party in the UK right now’ and everyone was laughing about it.”
Johnson was fined as part of a police investigation into gatherings held in Downing Street while social distancing restrictions were in place.
However, he was fined for attending his own birthday party in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street while social distancing restrictions were in place as opposed to the alleged party the ITV source mentioned.
Johnson is still due to appear before the Commons Privileges Committee over comments he made to MPs from the despatch box about so-called “partygate”.
Among other claims, ITV reports that whistleblowers told the podcast that staff “corroborated their stories” before filing out Metropolitan Police questionnaires about their potential involvement in rule-breaking gatherings.
A spokesperson for Johnson added: “During the pandemic, 10 Downing Street staff worked to coordinate the UK Government’s national response.
“The work of Downing Street staff was crucial as they helped marshal the UK’s response to a national emergency.”
The Cabinet Office was approached for comment.
