"Number 10 held two boozy parties the night before the Queen mourned Prince Philip alone".... Is this finally going to be the end for B.J. /Tories?

[HeadPain]

This thread!

mobile.twitter.com/Tony_Diver/status/1481741337951195136

EXCLUSIVE

"Number 10 held two boozy parties the night before the Queen mourned Prince Philip alone.

Staff drank and at points danced until the early hours of the night of April 16.

Hours later, the Queen went to a socially-distanced funeral for Philip.

We have spoken to eyewitnesses. At a leaving do for a No10 photographer it’s alleged:

🥂Staff partied in the basement of No10, to music DJd by a special adviser.

🥂One broke Wilf Johnson’s swing in the No10 garden.

🥂Another was sent to the Co-op with a suitcase to buy booze.

Another event held to mark the departure of James Slack, Mr Johnson’s chief spinner, saw:

🍻 Staff gathered for a speech from Slack, with others dialling in via Zoom.

🍻Booze drunk and attendees spilling into the garden.

🍻Chatting and drinking into the early hours.

At the time Britain was in Step 2 of lockdown easing - which banned indoor gatherings and imposed the rule of six outside.

But the celebrations in No10 meant around 30 people were gathered for what a source declares were definitely parties.

Can No10 claim they were work events?

This was the scene in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle the next day.

Prince Philip’s funeral was restricted to 30 people, and the PM declined to attend, to make more space for family.

The Queen did not participate in the service. "

Let him be investigated then. That's fine by me.

One beer. 13 parties.

I don’t think Boris is going quite yet. Even Liz Truss was supporting him last night (should couldn’t have been less enthusiastic if she tried)

Certainly not the end of the Tories

But maybe just maybe Dominic Cummings has the finale nail

I absolutely think he should go but I think it’s not quite yet that he will and it wouldn’t surprise me if he bounced back from this to some degree

The photo of Starmer with a beer is about as good as the story where he bought his mum a field for her donkeys.

@the80sweregreat

It's not just Michael Fabricant in support of the PM ( he was on lbc again this morning) it's also Brandon Lewis who was quoted in the Guardian last week ( paraphrasing here ) .. ' Boris Johnson will lead us into the next election and win it with a big majority ' Hardly the bigger names , but it's still support.

When those plus Nadine Dorries are your most vocal supporters, as a PM you are in real trouble.

@JaniieJones

' I presume you don't want any reporting on any of this, it's rather inconvenient isn't it.....'

Yes of course I do but I prefer facts and evidence and as I seem to need to keep on saying if Labour were having booze and mingling roo then perhaps the rules regarding work place drinking weren't clear?

It was in April. The rules had been relaxed. It was all perfectly clear.

I’m no great lover of Keir Starmer but even I think the photo of him with a pint is harmless and no big deal.

@JaniieJones

'As such, I expect more lukewarm support, but no actual moves against him - at least, not by an organised group. It'

It's a waiting game isn't it. See if laws were actually broken or rather errors of judgement were made in the workplace, see how many of the voters are actually being taken in by the media's obvious get Boris out campaign.

I doubt those rattling off shouty emails to Tory MPs actually voted for them in the first place,

I voted Conservative last time round. I've sent a short, polite email to my Conservative MP simply letting him know that I feel unable to vote for him again whilst Boris Johnson is in power.

[quote Clavinova]The very grainy photo of Starmer having a beer with 5 other work colleagues was taken in April 2021

Thirsty work -

22 April 2021 Wales
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9501261/Sir-Keir-Starmer-sups-pint-visit-Welsh-beer-maker.html

23 April 2021 Hartlepool
www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2021-04-23/prime-minister-and-labour-leader-visit-hartlepool-as-by-election-nears[/quote]
So

What?

...

Remind us all again what the rules were in April 2021 vs May 2020?

I wonder how many politicians have posed for a photoshoot with a pint. Good old Nigey F was always doing it, are you going to mention him next in your desperate attempt to cover for Boris?

@NashvilleQueen

Should the Gray investigation conclude that the parties were breaches will you accept that? I mean of course you will still point to two bottles of beer through a constituency office window and that's a given but will you accept the findings should she conclude that the multiple parties at Downing Street were in breach?

As Robin Butler explained on the radio this morning Gray will not say whether or not the parties were in breach of the law. She will set out the facts that she has found around the parties. Who was there, when they were and so on.

It is for Boris to decide whether or not they broke the law and what if anything should be done about it.

@JaniieJones

'One bottle of beer socially distanced with 3 others '

Oh no no no. There are people eating in the opened doorway! indoors not even outdoors where risk is lower as we should all know. Plus the fact Johnson's 3 person zoom quiz was labelled a 'party' you see.

If booze was ok at work, fine. If it wasn't then Starmer should stfu. He is a hypocrite.

Can you not comprehend that these events occured at completely different times with different rules in place?

Really?

'Can you not comprehend that these events occured at completely different times with different rules in place?'

Indoor socialising was forbidden! It can't have been work because if booze is consumed it is a party as decreed by the media and lapped up by some mumsnetters.

I was mulling over earlier why we are stuck with a Prime Minister who on Wednesday stated quite clearly in the House of Commons that he had been to a party on 20th May 2020, which of course was in breach of the law.

My only conclusion is that the all the other members of the cabinet and his wider MPs are so utterly useless they can't even organise themselves to get rid of him.

@Clavinova

Roussette If anyone wants a copy of my email to mine, drop me a PM. It was a masterpiece lol

You've been rumbled already

Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧
I have had 31 identical emails from different people calling for Boris to resign and about 20 more from constituents with the same call but in their own words. Far fewer than most campaigns and that’s out of 76,000+ voters.
Nevertheless I read all letters/emails carefully.

Haha, as if anyone believes a word out of that man's mouth. Impossible to take him seriously with that insane hairpiece.

I've written to my mp, not that he will pay any attention. This is an MP who voted for Brexit whilst happily saying there are no benefits of brexit, took the piss out of constituents worried about flooding and didn't lift a finger to help when our area had a 10 day power cut.

@JaniieJones

'Can you not comprehend that these events occured at completely different times with different rules in place?'

Indoor socialising was forbidden! It can't have been work because if booze is consumed it is a party as decreed by the media and lapped up by some mumsnetters.

Still peddling this shite eh?

@jgw1

I totally agree, I think the Gray report will be a total whitewash. The fate of the civil servants, Johnson, SPADs, all staff, now rest on this, especially as the Met has chosen not to investigate unless it is recommended so in the report.

Her job is not to pass any judgement, but just to set out the facts, and it is up to Johnson to decide whether it should be passed to the Ethics Committee or whatever. Basically No.10 are in total control of what happens.
And I'm already forseeing Johnson lovers on here saying "see, told you! He's done nothing wrong!"

Yeah... if you have the power to control what happens, you can decide the outcome

'was mulling over earlier why we are stuck with a Prime Minister who on Wednesday stated quite clearly in the House of Commons that he had been to a party on 20th May 2020, which of course was in breach of the law.'

He didn't say this at all. He said he went outside for 25mins to thank his staff but just make it up as you go along as many others seem to be doing.

@JaniieJones

'was mulling over earlier why we are stuck with a Prime Minister who on Wednesday stated quite clearly in the House of Commons that he had been to a party on 20th May 2020, which of course was in breach of the law.'

He didn't say this at all. He said he went outside for 25mins to thank his staff but just make it up as you go along as many others seem to be doing.

Still peddling this shite eh?

[quote Roussette]@jgw1

I totally agree, I think the Gray report will be a total whitewash. The fate of the civil servants, Johnson, SPADs, all staff, now rest on this, especially as the Met has chosen not to investigate unless it is recommended so in the report.

Her job is not to pass any judgement, but just to set out the facts, and it is up to Johnson to decide whether it should be passed to the Ethics Committee or whatever. Basically No.10 are in total control of what happens.
And I'm already forseeing Johnson lovers on here saying "see, told you! He's done nothing wrong!"

Yeah... if you have the power to control what happens, you can decide the outcome [/quote]
100% there will be voices saying that Boris has done nothing wrong when the report comes out, because the report will not recommend any punishment, sanctions or state that there has been wrongdoing.

But that won't be because there wasn't any wrongdoing,, but because that is not her role

Robin was trying this morning to make sure that everyone was aware of what to expect the report to cover.

Also
Starmer actually was in the workplace, meeting a local MP in her constituency office They paused for dinner as the meeting was during the evening.

'Starmer actually was in the workplace'

So were the Downing Street staff..

@JaniieJones

'was mulling over earlier why we are stuck with a Prime Minister who on Wednesday stated quite clearly in the House of Commons that he had been to a party on 20th May 2020, which of course was in breach of the law.'

He didn't say this at all. He said he went outside for 25mins to thank his staff but just make it up as you go along as many others seem to be doing.

Indeed, you are quite correct, he said that he went outside to the party for 25minutes. I know you and @Clavinova are trying to say that if you are at a party for 25minutes you are not at a party, but that is as ludicrous as Fabricant's hair.

Can I ask you @JaniieJones if I break into your house for less than 25minutes, have I not been in your house?

'if I break into your house for less than 25minutes, have I not been in your house?'

Jesus, this thread. It's hilarious in a pitiful way.

@JaniieJones

'Starmer actually was in the workplace'

So were the Downing Street staff..

That'll be a yes, then.

@JaniieJones

'if I break into your house for less than 25minutes, have I not been in your house?'

Jesus, this thread. It's hilarious in a pitiful way.

We can certainly agree on the hilarity of this thread, and thank you and Clav for providing it.

Now @JaniieJones simple question, if I break into your house for less than 25 minutes, have I not been in your house? Yes or No?

@JaniieJones

'Can you not comprehend that these events occured at completely different times with different rules in place?'

Indoor socialising was forbidden! It can't have been work because if booze is consumed it is a party as decreed by the media and lapped up by some mumsnetters.

Nope, it was a party because the invite in May 2020 said it was to meet for some "socially distanced drinks... to make the most of the lovely weather" - well that was the first party we found out about.

Starmer's photo was taken in a constituency office during a by-election campaign of a dinner break.

They are not the same and the rules at the time were not the same. In May 2020 the restrictions were much tighter than in May 2021.

I'm not a massive fan of alcohol at work, but that is not the key thing as to why the Downing Street parties were a problem. The fact that they had more parties while the Queen was in mourning in 2021 is just icing on the cake.