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Original poster

Downing St parties night before Prince Philip's Funeral

358 replies

buddhasbelly · 13/01/2022 23:14

The telegraph are reporting more parties... The night before Prince Philip's funeral.

  • party spilled out into garden
-someone broke Wilf's swing in tthe garden Confused -someone sent with a suitcase to buy booze from the co-op

When the telegraph of all papers are reporting it, he's surely done for now?

Apologies if another thread on this, couldn't see one

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Florianus · 14/01/2022 13:49

@RoseAndRose

The civil service are not "in government"

Correct, but they are hwverbrequred to observe formal mourning

Formal mourning refers to the royal household and court - not to civil servants. Mind you it was disrespectful of the civil servants to party on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, and I am glad to see that those responsible have apologised to the Queen for their insensitivity.
Florianus · 14/01/2022 13:51

@PurpleDaisies

Millions could not work from home including, it seems, the civil service staff at No.10

Yes, they needed to be there for work. Not to get pissed together.

What proof do you have that they got pissed? You see, it's all this guesswork replacing facts which results in the police being unable to prosecute for criminal behaviour.
22itsallnew · 14/01/2022 13:52

@BigWoollyJumpers The parties were wrong, no doubt. But personally I do have an issue with all the rolling out of people who didn't do this, and didn't do that, didn't see relatives, etc etc, when they actually could. There was always a caveat for support bubbles. My DM was in a care home, and during the pandemic, we visited at certain points in PPE and distanced
Sorry about the loss of your Mum. There wasn't always a caveat for support bubbles. They weren't established until June2020. I know this as I lost my Dad in late 2019 (not Covid) and my Mum was newly widowed, isolated & suffering from extreme loneliness due to the Covid restrictions.

PurpleDaisies · 14/01/2022 13:53

What proof do you have that they got pissed?

Are you kidding? They sent someone out to buy a suitcase full of booze.

Florianus · 14/01/2022 13:56

@PurpleDaisies

What proof do you have that they got pissed?

Are you kidding? They sent someone out to buy a suitcase full of booze.

For how many people?
ShepherdMoons · 14/01/2022 14:00

Tip of the iceberg probably. This really should be the last nail in the coffin for this government but somehow people will excuse this behaviour again.

It's absolutely horrific to think that so many people felt isolated, alone, unable to mourn their loved ones with a cuddle from family while this group of absolute pissartists were dancing, boozing. I really want to see the back of Johnson for good.

sol7 · 14/01/2022 14:06

The presence of alcohol - and presumably a large quantity of it if someone was going out with a suitcase to bring it back - immediately makes it riskier in terms of transmission than a normal working event. Even if it were the same group of people who had worked together during the day, they were more likely to have been distancing or even working in separate spaces. Socialising together with large quantities of alcohol is going to create different behaviour than working in the same place.

22itsallnew · 14/01/2022 14:07

People were unable to sit together at funerals
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-54431900

but Downing Street held bring your own booze (presumably the cheese was already there) afterparties and are now suggesting that was ok as they were 'at work'. It's such absolute gaslighting bullshit.

RoseAndRose · 14/01/2022 14:13

Formal mourning refers to the royal household and court - not to civil servants. Mind you it was disrespectful of the civil servants to party on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, and I am glad to see that those responsible have apologised to the Queen for their insensitivity

It covers all public services run on behalf of Her Majesty. So yes, the civil service is included.

Guidance was issued to ensure that public services were uninterrupted during the mourning - but a leaving party is hardly a public service, is it?

PhilCornwall1 · 14/01/2022 14:22

Why the outrage?!

Why the outrage,m?!!! Some bugger broke poor Wilfs swing, that's why!!!

the80sweregreat · 14/01/2022 14:26

Can you use a laptop for ' work' whilst balancing on a child's swing designed for a ( then ) one year old ?

Florianus · 14/01/2022 15:04

@ShepherdMoons

Tip of the iceberg probably. This really should be the last nail in the coffin for this government but somehow people will excuse this behaviour again.

It's absolutely horrific to think that so many people felt isolated, alone, unable to mourn their loved ones with a cuddle from family while this group of absolute pissartists were dancing, boozing. I really want to see the back of Johnson for good.

It's behaviour by the civil service that people will either excuse or not. No member of the government is said to have attended these latest two parties.
Florianus · 14/01/2022 15:07

RoseandRose
It covers all public services run on behalf of Her Majesty. So yes, the civil service is included.

Please, then, supply a link to a web site which states what the 456,410 members of the UK Civil Service are expected to do during formal mourning.

BigWoollyJumpers · 14/01/2022 16:04

@22itsallnew

People were unable to sit together at funerals www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-54431900

but Downing Street held bring your own booze (presumably the cheese was already there) afterparties and are now suggesting that was ok as they were 'at work'. It's such absolute gaslighting bullshit.

That must have been a local decision. In July 2020, we were all sat in family groups at FIL's funeral. MIL was sat with one of her daughters and SIL.
the80sweregreat · 14/01/2022 16:07

It's the suitcase to get drink that made me mad. They knew it was wrong , so let's hide the bottles in a suitcase.
Let's break a kids swing !
One long party isn't it ?

OldaRailer · 14/01/2022 16:09

The suitcase was a colourful touch.

OldaRailer · 14/01/2022 16:09

That put the tin lid on it.😔

MarshaBradyo · 14/01/2022 16:12

As I understand it, the apology was from the civil service staff at No.10

They sound like a partying bunch. Anyone seen it first hand? Do they party a lot generally

the80sweregreat · 14/01/2022 16:12

People sitting on kids swings isn't a work event !!
Sue Grey will probably say it is though ;(
They love a swinger or two at number 10.

MarshaBradyo · 14/01/2022 16:15

I just realised who people were referring to when they talked about Wilf

Thought it was some weird set up

Words · 14/01/2022 16:20

@florianus I can absolutely confirm that the Civil Service does observe a period of formal mourning in these circumstances. We do not do any proactive publicity other than that which is absolutely essential, for example.

This is another reason why these parties on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral are so very damaging. However it will be incredibly unjust if Johnson gets away with it and deflects the entirety of the blame elsewhere. The tone is set at the top.

And no way should a civil servant have been tasked with the enquiry either.

It's all very grim, and disastrous should any further compliance be asked of people should we have a more deadly variant, for example.

SickAndTiredAgain · 14/01/2022 16:24

@the80sweregreat

It's the suitcase to get drink that made me mad. They knew it was wrong , so let's hide the bottles in a suitcase. Let's break a kids swing ! One long party isn't it ?
Oh I read that as being just due to ease of carrying lots of heavy bottles, rather than to hide them. I could wheel far more alcohol in a suitcase than I could carry in a bag for life.
the80sweregreat · 14/01/2022 16:40

They broke Wilfred's swing too
Bunch of reprobates :(

Florianus · 14/01/2022 17:02

Words
I can absolutely confirm that the Civil Service does observe a period of formal mourning in these circumstances. We do not do any proactive publicity other than that which is absolutely essential, for example.

Link to website, please.