Boris Johnson has ‘full confidence’ in civil servant who issued lockdown occasion invite

Boris Johnson retains “full confidence” within the senior civil servant who issued an invite for 100 employees to attend a Downing Avenue drinks occasion throughout lockdown, No 10 has mentioned.

Martin Reynolds stays in put up because the prime minister’s principal non-public secretary, some of the essential roles in No 10, mentioned Mr Johnson’s official spokesman.

There was hypothesis that Mr Reynolds could be compelled out of his put up after ITV Information obtained an e-mail by which he invited No 10 employees to a “deliver your individual booze” occasion within the Downing Avenue backyard on 20 Could 2020.

The e-mail learn: “Hello all,

“After what has been an extremely busy interval we thought it might be good to take advantage of the stunning climate and have some socially distanced drinks within the No10 backyard this night.

“Please be part of us from 6pm and produce your individual booze!”

It has been claimed that round 40 folks took half within the occasion, consuming picnic meals and ingesting wine round an extended desk set out within the No 10 backyard.

Crucially, Mr Johnson and his spouse Carrie are mentioned to have been current for no less than a part of the night.

One former authorities particular adviser mentioned {that a} non-public secretary like Mr Reynolds was unlikely to have organised such a drinks until “the instruction got here from the highest”.

“The non-public secretary works on behalf of the PM on this case,” Claire Pearsall informed Sky Information.

However Mr Johnson’s spokesperson declined to say whether or not the PM was conscious of Mr Reynolds’ invitation or had instructed him to ship it out.

Underneath sustained questioning concerning the occasion from journalists at a every day Westminster media briefing, the spokesperson repeatedly mentioned that he was unable to remark forward of the completion of an inquiry by senior mandarin Sue Grey.

“An unbiased investigation is ongoing,” mentioned the spokesperson. “I can’t touch upon reviews and claims. It wouldn’t be acceptable to take action.”

He refused to say whether or not the “we” referred to in Mr Reynolds’ e-mail included the prime minister or another member of the Downing Avenue staff.