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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Courtney Pochin

Downing Street staff used 'cringe' acronyms for Partygate gatherings - including WTF

The Sue Gray Partygate report has finally been published for all to see and it's proved damning for No 10.

It looks at a series of lockdown-busting gatherings held at Downing Street - including Boris Johnson's own birthday party and several leaving dos.

The report is filled with evidence showing that the events were often planned by staff, apparently in the full knowledge of how they would look to the public - with them being given a number of acronyms.

These acronyms most notably included WTF, which stands for Wine-Time Fridays and was a reference to a less polite acronym.

People aren't happy (James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock)

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Insiders previously told The Mirror that these Wine-Time Fridays were held "every week" and often scheduled for 4pm.

They said: "They were every week. The event invites for Friday press office drinks were just nailed into the diary."

Other acronyms used included BYOB at a garden party on May 20, 2020 - which was used in an email sent by Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister's former Principal Private Secretary.

Reynolds is said to have sent out around 200 email invites instructing staff to "make the most of the lovely weather " and "bring your own booze".

In response to this, the then-director of Downing Street Communications, Lee Cain warned the party could be "somewhat of a comms risk in the current environment".

Social media users have since branded the acronyms "cringe" and "out of touch".

One person said: "Wine time Fridays: elitist, out of touch, cringe."

Another posted: "Operation Save Big Dog, Wine-Time Fridays, the sheer lack of respect to abuse power in such a cringe way. Humiliating."

Someone else thought the whole thing was "cringe-making".

What do you think of this? Let us know in the comments below.

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