Top aide questioned Boris Johnson’s plan to say ‘all COVID guidance was followed’ over partygate
Boris Johnson was warned against claiming that all COVID guidance had been followed at Downing Street lockdown gatherings but still issued a denial, according to new evidence published by MPs investigating whether he lied over partygate.
In written evidence from Martin Reynolds, the former principal private secretary to the then prime minister, he said he questioned whether it was “realistic” to make this claim, given the nature of the working environment in Number 10.
He said he asked Mr Johnson about the line proposed for PMQs on 7 December, adding: “He did not welcome the interruption but told me that he had received reassurances that the comms event was within the rules.
“I accepted this but questioned whether it was realistic to argue that all guidance had been followed at all times, given the nature of the working environment in Number 10.”
Politics live: More evidence published ahead of Johnson questioning
Mr Reynolds said Mr Johnson agreed to delete the reference to the guidance.
However, the then prime minister went on to tell the Commons the following day that “the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times”.
Evidence from Martin Reynolds
The evidence has been published ahead of Mr Johnson being questioned by the privileges committee this afternoon on whether he knowingly misled parliament over partygate denials.
The former PM has accepted he did mislead the House but said in a written defence published yesterday that his claims were made in “good faith” – and he was relying on the incorrect advice of his advisers.
However, evidence from senior Number 10 officials appears to dispute this.
In another section of the bundle published this morning, Mr Johnson’s communications chief at the time the partygate story broke denied ever telling him that COVID guidance was followed at all times.
In an interview with the Cabinet Office investigations team, Jack Doyle said it was “difficult to say” if social distancing was followed completely.
He said that “in relation to the events I attended I said I believed no rules were broken”.
Pressed whether he had ever told Mr Johnson “COVID guidance” was always followed in Downing Street, Mr Doyle said: “No.”
Jack Doyle said it was ‘difficult to say’ whether COVID rules were followed
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case also said he did not give the PM these assurances and was not aware of anyone who did.
Johnson ‘had opportunity to shut partygate gatherings down’
The evidence also contained a statement from a Number 10 official who said Mr Johnson “had the opportunity” to shut the partygate gatherings down, but chose to join them instead.
The official, who has not been named in the documents, states the former prime minister was “either invited” to the events by special advisers, or “spotted them whilst walking up to his flat”.
The statement notes that the route Mr Johnson would take included walking down a corridor and looking “straight into the press room and vestibule” – both places where parties were held.
“He had the opportunity to shut them down, but joined in, made speeches, had a drink with staff,” the official’s statement continues.
“He could see what was happening and allowed the culture to continue.”
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Sky’s Ali Fortescue takes a look at Boris Johnson’s partygate defence
‘Comical PM thought May garden party was work event’
Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former top aide, also gave evidence saying it was “comical” Mr Johnson thought the garden party on 20 May 2020 was a work event.
He said Mr Johnson “certainly knew it was a drinks party because I told him”.
This event was the one Mr Reynolds sent an email around to people advising them to “bring your own booze!”
Lee Cain, the communications chief at the time of the event, said it was “clear” that this was “purely a social function” and “in breach of COVID guidance”.
His evidence said he could not remember if he personally had a conversation with the former PM about it, but stated that he told Mr Cummings about his concerns who “agreed it should not take place and said he would raise the issue with Martin and the prime minister”.
Watch coverage of Boris Johnson giving evidence to Privileges Committee on partygate live on Sky News from 2pm.
Mr Reynolds expressed regret at the invite in his evidence, stressing “the language used was totally inappropriate and gave a misleading impression of the nature of the event”.
“It was an event held because staff needed a morale boost after an extremely difficult period when all sorts of tensions had begun to surface and I hoped that being thanked by the PM and talking to each other might strengthen their sense of being part of one team,” he said.
“The event was not a party in any normal sense of the word.”
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Labour MP Steve Reed described Boris Johnson as a man with ‘no regard for the truth’
Ahead of the publication of the documents, a source close to the former prime minister said his team believe they are generally helpful to them.
But they have criticised the fact that not all of the evidence Mr Johnson wanted published has gone into the bundle.
All seven committee members, led by Labour veteran Harriet Harman but with a Tory majority, will use Mr Johnson’s appearance to determine if he deliberately misled the Commons when he told MPs no COVID rules or guidance had been broken.
On the eve of his appearance, the former prime minister repeated his denial that he had not done anything wrong and said he was looking forward to the hearing.
A new aid system has opened its first distribution centres in Gaza, according to a US-backed organisation dealing with supplies.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began its operations in the territory on Monday, following the resignation of its director, Jake Wood, over its independence.
Gaza’s 2.3m population has been pushed towards famine by Israel’s almost three-month blockade.
Boxes of aid to be distributed across Rafah. Pic: Reuters.
The GHF said lorryloads of food – it did not say how many – had been delivered to its hubs, and distribution to Palestinians had begun.
“More trucks with aid will be delivered tomorrow, with the flow of aid increasing each day,” it said in a statement.
The controversial group, backed by Israel and the United States, has been rejected by the United Nations and other aid groups.
Follow the latest developments in our live blog
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People line up for food in Gaza
UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF.
They claim Israel is weaponising food, and the new distribution system will be ineffective and lead to further displacement of Palestinians.
They also argue the GHF will fail to meet local needs, and violates humanitarian principles that prohibit a warring party from controlling humanitarian assistance.
In the meantime, scores of Palestinians in Gaza, like Islam Abu Taima, have resorted to searching through rubbish to find food.
Palestinians are having to search through rubbish to find food
She found a small pile of cooked rice, scraps of bread, and a box with a few pieces of cheese inside it – which she said she will serve to her five children.
“We’re dying of hunger,” she told the Associated Press news agency.
“If we don’t eat, we’ll die.”
Islam Abu Taeima finds a piece of bread in a pile of rubbish in Gaza City. Pic: AP.
It is unclear how many of the GHF’s aid trucks will enter Gaza.
It claims it will reach one million Palestinians by the end of the week.
There are questions, however, over who is funding it and how it will work.
Trucks transporting aid for Palestinians in Rafah. Pic: Reuters.
It has been set up as part of an Israeli plan – rather than a UN distribution effort.
Israel, which suggested a similar plan earlier this year, has said it will not be involved in distributing the aid but supported the plan and would provide security.
It says aid deliveries into Gaza are taken by Hamas instead of going to civilians.
Aid groups, however, say there is no evidence of this happening on a systemic basis.
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Israel began to allow a limited amount of food into Gaza last week – after a blockade that prevented food, medicine, fuel and other goods from entering the Palestinian enclave.
A letter has been signed by hundreds of judges and lawyers calling on the UK government to impose trade sanctions on Israel.
It also calls for Israeli ministers to be sanctioned and the suspension of Israel from the UN over “serious breaches of international law”.
“Genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza or that, at a minimum, there is a serious risk of genocide,” the letter says.
The Israeli government has repeatedly dismissed allegations of genocide in Gaza.
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At least 31 dead after school attack
More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its ground invasion of Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, following the deadly attacks by the militant group on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw around 250 people taken hostage.
The health ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters in Gaza.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are being urged to use their visit to Canada to seek an apology for the abuse of British children.
Campaigners have called on them to pursue an apology for the “dire circumstances” suffered by so-called “Home Children” over decades.
More than 100,000 were shipped from orphan homes in the UK to Canada between 1869 and 1948 with many used as cheap labour, typically as farm workers and domestic servants. Many were subject to mistreatment and abuse.
Canada has resisted calls to follow the UK and Australia in apologising for its involvement in child migrant schemes.
King Charles and Mark Carney on Monday. Pic: PA
Campaigners for the Home Children say the royal visit presents a “great opportunity” for a change of heart.
“I would ask that King Charles uses his trip to request an apology,” John Jefkins told Sky News.
John’s father Bert was one of 115,000 British Home Children transported to Canada, arriving in 1914 with his brother Reggie.
“It’s really important for the Home Children themselves and for their descendants,” John said.
“It’s something we deserve and it’s really important for the healing process, as well as building awareness of the experience of the Home Children.
“They were treated very, very badly by the Canadian government at the time. A lot of them were abused, they were treated horribly. They were second-class citizens, lepers in a way.”
More on this story:
The forgotten legacy of British children sent to Canada
John Jefkins
John added: “I think the King’s visit provides a great opportunity to reinforce our campaign and to pursue an apology because we’re part of the Commonwealth and King Charles is a new Head of the Commonwealth meeting a new Canadian prime minister. It’s a chance, for both, to look at the situation with a fresh eye.
“There’s much about this visit that looks on our sovereignty and who we are as Canadians, rightly so.
“I think it’s also right that in contemplating the country we built, we focus on the people who built it, many in the most trying of circumstances.”
The issue was addressed by the then Prince of Wales during a tour of Canada in May 2022. He said at the time: “We must find new ways to come to terms with the darker and more difficult aspects of the past.”
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King Charles and Queen Camilla are on a two-day visit to Canada.
On Tuesday, the King will deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the 45th session of Canada’s parliament.
Camilla was made Patron of Barnardo’s in 2016. The organisation sent tens of thousands of Home Children to Canada. She took on the role, having served as president since 2007.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for the Canadian government said: “The government of Canada is committed to keeping the memory of the British Home Children alive.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada deeply regrets this unjust and discriminatory policy, which was in place from 1869 to 1948. Such an approach would have no place in modern Canada, and we must learn from past mistakes.”
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