Boris Johnson's Partygate hangover has deepened after bombshell pictures showed him raising a glass of fizz at a lockdown leaving do.
The Prime Minister was not fined by Scotland Yard over the farewell bash for his spin chief Lee Cain on November 13 2020 - but insiders have claimed others were.
The photos, obtained by ITV News, raise questions for the Metropolitan Police and threaten to derail Mr Johnson's attempts to move past the row over lockdown parties which brought his premiership to the brink of collapse.
Mr Johnson had plunged the country into a second lockdown on November 5 due to soaring Covid cases.
The leaked images show Mr Johnson appearing to raise a toast with eight people standing close together, as well as the unknown photographer.
Sources previously claimed he had instigated the event, gathering staff around the table and pouring drinks.
The PM's ministerial red box - which contains high-level Government papers for his attention - can be seen on a chair in front of him.
A table nearby is groaning with booze, including bottles of wine, cava and gin, as well as snacks, party cups and what appears to be a takeaway from Indian restaurant Dishoom.
A bottle of hand sanitiser can be seen in the middle of the table.
The picture is understood to have been taken in the press office in Downing Street, where staff held "wine time Fridays" throughout the pandemic.
Sources said the PM encouraged aides to “let off steam” despite a lockdown ban on indoor socialising.
The regular event was so popular that staff invested in a £142 drinks fridge to keep their bottles of white wine, Prosecco and beer cool.
The Mirror published pictures of 34-bottle chiller being delivered to Downing Street on December 11 2020
The leaving drinks on November 13 were investigated as part of the force's Partygate probe and fines were handed out for an event on that date.
But there was also another gathering on that date in Boris Johnson's No11 flat. Scotland Yard have refused to confirm which events drew penalties.
Mr Cain said he was resigning on November 11 - being tipped for promotion just 24 hours earlier - following reports of a power struggle in No10.
Former aide Dominic Cummings also dramatically left the PM's top team.
Reports at the time suggested there had been a fiery showdown between the three men on November 13, ending with Mr Johnson ordering them to "get out and never return".
But a source with knowledge of the conversation told the Mirror bluntly that the descriptions of events was "horses**t".
And we obtained a picture of Mr Cain enjoying a joke with the PM, while both wore Mr Johnson's "Get Brexit Done" boxing gloves.
The photos, understood to have been taken around 7pm, appears to show Mr Johnson wearing the same tie as the leaked images.
At around 5pm, Mr Cummings was seen dramatically leaving No10 through the front door with his possessions in a cardboard box.
He was pictured standing on Whitehall as he made his departure.
Downing Street declined to comment on the pictures ahead of the publication of Sue Gray's long-awaited report into the Partygate scandal.
The senior civil servant is expected to publish her findings on Wednesday.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tried to defend the PM, saying his red ministerial box showed he was "clearly not" partying.
"It looks to me like he goes down on his way out of the office and thanks the staff and raises a glass, and doesn't in his mind recognise it as a party," Mr Shapps said.
