Staff at number 10 allegedly had sex at lockdown party - the night before Prince Philip's funeral
Fresh allegations have emerged surrounding 10 Downing Street’s Partygate scandal (or should that be scandals?), claiming that members of Boris Johnson’s staff had sex at a lockdown party, the night before Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021.
During the funeral, the world watched on in sympathy as Queen Elizabeth II sat alone in the pews wearing a facemask, as government guidelines dictated that strict social distancing must be in place - including at events such as weddings, christenings and funerals.
It’s thought that around 30 people attended two drinking events inside the then-office of former PM Boris Johnson. Two couples were allegedly seen “getting it on with each other” and “touching each other up” at one of the gatherings, according to an ITV News podcast.
According to The Times, “numerous witnesses” saw one pair go into a room together, only to emerge later on in the evening "flustered”. Another pair allegedly made their way into an office "with the lights off".
The party took place on 16 April 2021, complete with a fully loaded suitcase of alcohol, and continued into the early hours of the morning. Downing Street apologised to the Queen for hosting two staff parties the night before the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip.
Boris Johnson's spokesperson at the time said it was "Deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning."
The accusations were not denied by a number 10 spokesperson, who said instead, “As we’ve talked about, there was the investigation into those incidents, which was reported and also looked into by the Met Police. At all times staff were given clear guidance to retain any relevant information and co-operate.”
One source also told the ITV podcast that documents about pandemic parties were shredded before the Sue Gray-Cabinet Office investigation. A source close to Boris Johnson claimed that staff were repeatedly told not to destroy any information, but recent accusations of shredding pile on the pressure for the ex-PM – just weeks before public hearings begin into whether Johnson misled MPs over the scandal.
Despite the former PM not being at either parties the night before Prince Philip's funeral, Boris Johnson faced fines as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation relating to other gatherings held in Downing Street
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