Staff at 10 Downing Street 'felt they had permission' from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to hold parties when lockdown restrictions were in force, according to a BBC Panorama investigation which aired tonight (Tuesday, May 24). Officials gave testimonies to Laura Kuenssberg ahead of the publication of Sue Gray's inquiry into "partygate", which is expected on Wednesday.
Three individuals spoke to Kuenssberg on condition of anonymity. They told her of bottles left on tables, overflowing bins, people crowded "shoulder to shoulder" and a culture encouraged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Kuenssberg asked one of the officials: "To be really clear about this, you and your colleagues felt you had - essentially - permission from Boris Johnson to have these events?"
They responded: "Yeah. He was there.
"He [Mr Johnson] wasn't saying, 'Can everyone break up and go home? Can everyone socially distance? Can everyone put masks on?'
"No, he wasn't telling anybody that. He was grabbing a glass for himself."
Kuenssberg was also told that "in some ways it happened because people were happy for it to happen" and that staff saw Number 10 as a "bubble" where "everything just continued as normal."
Another unnamed interviewee said the Prime Minister "must have known" events should not have been taking place at Downing Street. But they added he would "pass a lie detector test" over the issue if he took one.
Panorama reported that staff "made fun" of a security guard who tried to stop a party. "He was just shaking his head," Kuenssberg was told.
"People laughed at him," one of the officials said. "People made fun of him."
Conservative MP for Forest of Dean Mark Harper, formerly chief whip, said: "I just think this issue, the reason why it won't go away, is because it is actually quite important. It's about do ministers, the people who make the laws, think the laws apply to them - that's quite fundamental.
"The second thing is, do ministers and the Prime Minister tell the truth to Parliament and the public. And that's quite fundamental."
TV viewers reacted on Twitter as the programme aired. Some said they were "shocked" and that they would "never forgive" Johnson for the goings-on at Downing Street.
@JessPratt12 tweeted: "Disgusting lies that have been told to the general public. What's worse is that people were dying in hospitals and loved ones were unable to be with them or grieve with extended family."
Kerry Hammond @KerryHa05720975: "Less than 15 mins into the BBC/Laura K Partygate programme and it seems inconceivable that the Metropolitan Police saw the same evidence and didn’t issue further FPNs to Boris Johnson."
Phil Duncan @duncanphilip561 wrote: "Only 10 minutes into Panorama and I am more shocked now than I ever was about Partygate" while BeElveBubb @BeElveBubb said: "This just gets worse! What I shall never forgive Boris and his cronies for is that I kept my distance from my dad for 18 months, then he died. Meanwhile in Number 10..."
However some thought the programme failed in its aim. Pauline@PaulineAnnP said: "Partygate barely mentioned it's more the Boris Johnson appreciation society. What a load of rubbish."
And DanR @DPJ1980 said: "I’m beginning to wonder what the point is of the Partygate Panorama. It’s more a Johnson fluff piece intermixed with a few clips confirming a lot of what we already know."
PA reports that Downing Street, when asked about the insiders’ claims, said there was a limit to what it could say before the investigation by Ms Gray has been submitted. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I’ve certainly seen the report.
“You will appreciate, as I made clear this morning, that I can’t get into commenting on claims put forward given Sue Gray’s report has not been published yet. You will hear from the Prime Minister once that has happened, so I am limited in what I can say.”
