Downing Street has failed to deny reports that two parties took place at Number 10 the night before Prince Philip’s COVID-restricted funeral – at a time when indoor mixing was banned.

In fresh claims that will further fuel the “partygate” crisis afflicting the prime minister, it is claimed that Downing Street staff drank alcohol into the early hours at two leaving events in April last year.

These are reported to have been held the night before the Queen was forced to sit by herself at her husband’s funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey repeated his call for Mr Johnson to resign in the wake of the latest allegations.

“The Queen sitting alone, mourning the loss of her husband, was the defining image of lockdown,” he posted on Twitter.

“Not because she is the Queen, but because she was just another person, mourning alone like too many others. Whilst she mourned, Number 10 partied. Johnson must go.”

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said she had “no words for the culture and behaviours at Number 10”, adding: “The buck stops with the PM.”

Boris Johnson: Wagons circle around PM but his government is paralysed by ‘partygate’ scandal

Boris Johnson: Priti Patel distances herself from Rishi Sunak as she gives full support to PM over party row

COVID-19: Jacob Rees-Mogg says pandemic public inquiry should consider if rules were ‘too hard on people’

At the time of the newly-alleged parties, the country was in a period of national mourning, and England was still under strict COVID rules that banned socialising with other households indoors unless you had formed a support bubble.

People in England were also prevented from meeting outdoors in groups larger than six, or from more than two households.

Those coronavirus restrictions also limited Prince Philip’s funeral to just 30 attendees, as with other services, while only 15 were allowed to gather for wakes.

The Daily Telegraph reported that one Number 10 leaving event on 16 April last year was held for James Slack, the prime minister’s departing director of communications, while another was for one of Mr Johnson’s personal photographers.

According to the newspaper, the gatherings lasted beyond midnight and saw alcohol drunk with guests dancing along to music.

The events were held in two different parts of the Downing Street complex but later joined together in the garden with around 30 people attending both gatherings combined, it is claimed.

The newspaper’s account of the parties also claimed that one attendee was sent to a nearby supermarket store with a suitcase to be filled with bottles of wine and brought back to Downing Street.

Another staff member was said to have acted as a DJ at one of the events, while another who was present is reported to have expressed fears that too much wine was being spilled on a carpet.

One eyewitness also told the Daily Telegraph that a staff member used and broke a child’s swing in the garden belonging to Mr Johnson’s son, Wilfred.

Downing Street did not directly deny the reports, although it is reported that the prime minister was not in Number 10 that day and was instead at Chequers, his official country retreat.

Commenting on the leaving event for Mr Slack, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “On this individual’s last day he gave a farewell speech to thank each team for the work they had done to support him, both those who had to be in the office for work and on a screen for those working from home.”

Related posts:

Anas Sarwar becomes new Scottish Labour leader – 10 weeks before Holyrood elections Javid has ‘worsened’ prospect of full freedoms being returned after 19 July, Tory MP says Ministers ‘abused’ taxpayers’ cash by paying for polling of Labour figures during COVID crisis Wales ‘on the final lap’ of emerging from COVID as nation will move to alert level zero Javid ‘confident’ that booster programme for COVID jabs will begin this month Revealed: Ministers bowed to pressure to drop key climate commitments for UK trade deal with Australia Education secretary ‘mixed up’ Rashford with black rugby player Itoje PM: ‘Complete nonsense’ to say govt prioritised animals over people during Afghan evacuation PM minded to move to Plan B of COVID rules this week, Sky News understands ‘Furious’ PM apologises over footage of No 10 staff joking about ‘Christmas party’ Labour say PM’s position ‘completely untenable’ as he prepares for questions over lockdown party PM cancels visit after family member tests positive for COVID