Boris Johnson “commuted” between Downing Road and his official nation residence of Chequers throughout the first Covid lockdown interval – even after telling the general public to remain at house, No 10 has admitted.
The prime minister travelled to and from his grace and favour mansion in Buckinghamshire for greater than 10 days after he first requested nation to cease non-essential journey on 16 March 2020.
Requested in regards to the interval between 16 March and 27 March 2020, a Downing Road spokesperson mentioned: “At the moment, Mrs Johnson was closely pregnant and had been positioned in a weak class and suggested to minimise social contact.”
No 10 added: “In step with medical steerage and to minimise the chance to her they have been primarily based at Chequers throughout this era, with the prime minister commuting to Downing Road to work.”
On 16 March 2020 Mr Johnson informed the general public to “cease non-essential contact and journey”.
The prime minister introduced the primary lockdown on 23 March 2020 with the order: “You could keep at house.” On 26 March 2020, legal guidelines got here into power banning individuals from visiting second houses.
Mr Johnson and his spouse Carrie used Chequers throughout the first lockdown interval and employees on the nation residence contracted Covid on the time, sources informed Tortoise, which first reported on the PM’s “commuting” on Friday.
The prime minister examined optimistic for Covid on 27 March 2020 and headed right into a interval of self-isolation in his Downing Road flat.
Downing Road denied any guidelines had been damaged by the prime minister’s commuting throughout the interval. A No 10 spokesperson mentioned: “This declare that the prime minister didn’t adjust to lockdown laws and steerage is solely inaccurate”.
Stress is mounting on Mr Johnson amid contemporary allegations that leaving drinks occasions have been held at Downing Road final April – the night time earlier than the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, whereas strict Covid measures have been nonetheless in place.
No 10 has apologised to Buckingham Palace over the gatherings held on 16 April 2021 – the day earlier than the Queen attended the funeral alone – however refused to say if Mr Johnson knew about them.
Individually, the previous head of the federal government unit chargeable for drawing up Covid guidelines has apologised for organising a leaving drinks occasion throughout 2020’s Christmas lockdown.
Kate Josephs, ex-chief of the federal government’s Covid-19 taskforce on the Cupboard Workplace, admitted she had gathered colleagues collectively for her personal leaving occasion on 17 December 2020.
In the meantime, Mr Johnson is drawing up a listing of officers to supply resignations over the partygate scandal within the weeks forward as he battles to save lots of his premiership, The Impartial has discovered.
Dubbed “Operation Save Huge Canine” by the PM, the plan features a drive to work out who ought to go after the publication of senior official Sue Grey’s report, in accordance with sources.
Martin Reynolds, his non-public secretary and writer of the ‘BYOB’ e-mail, and Dan Rosenfield, Mr Johnson’s chief of employees, have each been famous as making a potential exit.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
