PM says 'nobody told me' No 10 lockdown garden party was against the rules

Boris Johnson has said “nobody told me” the Number 10 garden party during lockdown was “against the rules”.

The prime minister said he “humbly apologises” to people for misjudgements that were made but he would not have gone ahead with the event, to which 100 people were invited, on 20 May 2020 if he thought it broke the rules.

He said: “I’m saying categorically that nobody told me, nobody said this was something that was against the rules, doing something that wasn’t a work event because frankly, I can’t imagine why it would have gone ahead or it would have been allowed to go ahead if it was against the rules.

“My memory is going out into the garden for about 25 minutes, which I implicitly thought was a work event, and talking to staff, thanking staff.

“I then went back to my office and continued my work.

“I carry full responsibility for what took place, nobody said to me ‘this is an event that’s against the rules, in breach of what we’re asking everybody else to do’.”

He added that it is exactly what he has told the inquiry by top civil servant Sue Gray, who is due to report back next week.

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PM: I should have told people to go back indoors

Mr Johnson admitted on reflection he “should have looked around and told people to go back indoors” after realising it was not a work event.

He said he wanted to “repeat my apologies for misjudgments I’ve made” after saying sorry in the House of Commons last week following mounting pressure over attending the event.

Asked about the two parties alleged to have taken place on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, Mr Johnson looked down and appeared distressed.

“I deeply and bitterly regret that happened, I can only renew my apology to Her Majesty and to apologise for misjudgments made and for which I take full responsibility,” he said.

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The PM’s former top adviser, Dominic Cummings, yesterday claimed Mr Johnson knew about the garden party in advance and gave it the go-ahead so lied to parliament when he said he did not know, but the PM denied this.

Mr Johnson also said he only saw the email invite for the event from his right-hand man Martin Reynolds the other day, when it was revealed to the media.

The PM is facing calls for his resignation, including from some of his own MPs, over the issue but has said the investigation into the parties must be allowed “space” to be concluded.

Senior Tories leave open idea PM would have to resign if code breached

Senior cabinet members have said they believe the PM but both Dominic Raab and Rishi Sunak pointed out the ministerial code “is clear on these matters”.

The code says: “It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.

“Ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the prime minister.”

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak, when asked if he supported the PM unequivocally, got up and left without answering.

Before that, asked if he believed the PM, he said: “Of course I do, the prime minister set out his understanding of this matter in parliament last week and I’d refer you to his words.

“As you know, Sue Gray is conducting an enquiry into this matter and I fully support the prime minister’s request for patience while that inquiry concludes.”

The chancellor said he would not “get into hypotheticals” following Mr Cummings’ claim Mr Johnson lied to parliament.

“The ministerial code is clear on these matters,” he added.

And Mr Raab, the deputy prime minister, told the BBC if a minister lies and it is deliberate it is “normally”, under the ministerial code, a resigning matter.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman also said the code “is very clear when it comes to knowingly misleading the House” and the PM “abides by that, and we fully support it”.

Asked if the PM would resign if he misled parliament, the spokesman said: “It’s important not to jump ahead.”

He also denied Mr Johnson had ever lied to parliament.

The investigation by top civil servant Sue Gray is due to be finished

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