UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Simmonds were among around 40 people attending a drinks party in the garden of Downing Street during the first lockdown, multiple reports say.
First ITV revealed an email from Mr Johnson's personal secretary Martin Reynolds to Prime Minister's Office staff inviting them to "make the most of the good weather" and meet for "socially distanced drinks" in the garden of Number 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2020. He invited them to bring their own drinks.
The email invitation was sent to more than 100 recipients, including Boris Johnson's advisers, his speech writers and Downing Street doormen.
It is believed that around 40 people eventually went to the garden, where they enjoyed drinks and a picnic.
On 20 May, it was only on 20 May that people in England had just been allowed to meet with a single person with whom they were not cohabiting in an open space and within two metres of each other. Gatherings of more people or entire households were not allowed, even in an open space.
An investigation is already underway into previous allegations of at least six other illegal parties or social gatherings in Downing Street and government departments, which arose after the initial complaint about a Christmas party at Number 10 last year.
The investigation is being handled by Sue Gray, a senior civil service official.
Boris Johnson's presence at the May 20 party was confirmed via Twitter by his controversial former chief adviser and now fierce critic Dominic Cummings, who first reported on the gathering.
And the BBC's political editor Laura Kunsberg cited two eyewitnesses who confirmed the presence of the Johnson couple, and that a long table for food and drink had been set up in the garden.
She also cited messages from Downing Street workers from May 2020 expressing disbelief at the Prime Minister's secretary's invitation to a gathering that was banned under the rules.
The deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party, Angela Rainer, slammed Boris Johnson, stating that he "continually shows he has no regard for the rules he makes for the rest of us".
Asked this morning, before the email was revealed, about his attendance at parties that broke lockdown rules, the British Prime Minister said only that the matter was now being handled by Ms Gray.
Source: APM
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