Former prime minister Boris Johnson’s hopes of making a political comeback could be quashed following the new claims (Picture: PA)
Two couples working for Boris Johnson had sex inside No.10 Downing Street during the lockdown-busting party the night before Prince Philip’s funeral, witnesses have now revealed.
One pair of aides started ‘feeling each other up’ in a kitchen then ducked into a dark room before emerging ‘flustered’ later. Another went into an office ‘with the lights off’. Mr Johnson – booted out as prime minister in September but said to be planning a comeback – could lose his seat if a committee of MPs probing Partygate next month decides he lied to parliament when he said ‘guidance and rules were followed at all times’.
Mr Johnson – fined for attending his birthday party among a series of events at No.10 in 2020 and 2021 – is also said to have told staff at another bash they were enjoying ‘the most socially undistanced party in the UK right now’.
The quip came at a leaving do for his communications chief Lee Cain in November 2020. A witness told ITV podcast Partygate: The Inside Story: ‘I was working late. I heard the PM speaking and that’s when I heard the quote. Everyone was laughing about it.’
Mr Johnson, wife Carrie and his then-chancellor Rishi Sunak – now prime minister – were among 83 fined.
But whistleblowers say staff got rid of evidence – including shredding photos – and colluded over what to tell police. ‘Some of us flatly refused to give photos,’ one told the podcast. ‘I know some diehard civil servants gave them their phones to look through and stuff. I was never going to do that. If my phone was looked over, I’d get the sack – I’d probably be arrested.’
The late Queen sits alone at Prince Philip’s funeral – just hours after it has been claimed couples had sex at No.10 (Picture: Getty)
Mr Johnson was not in Downing Street for the April 2021 party – famous for staff wheeling in a suitcase of booze.
Two events merged in No.10’s garden as the night wore on. ‘That party contained more debauchery than you can possibly imagine,’ said podcast host Paul Brand.
‘The Queen was unable to be with her family mourning her life partner, yet here were fresh couplings in No.10 flouting those rules and getting together.’
Mr Johnson later apologised to her, saying he ‘deeply and bitterly’ regretted the party. The Commons privileges committee will grill the ex-PM, who could face a by-election if it rules he lied to MPs.
Rules separated families at the same time Downing Street staff are said to have partied into the night (Picture: PA)
Mr Johnson’s spokesman insisted he ‘worked constantly to… save lives and protect livelihood. The work of Downing Street staff… was crucial’.
With the Tories around 20 per cent behind Labour in polls, some of their MPs are calling for the 2019 landslide winner to return. But one, Gary Streeter, insisted: ‘It is inconceivable he’d ever lead us again. We’ve had an upgrade.’
Lobby Akinola, of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: ‘It turns my stomach. We have entered our second year of discussing Partygate and still horrible revelations are coming out.
Metro’s front page from 11 January 2022 revealing an invite to one of the Downing Street lockdown drinks parties (Picture: Metro)
‘People he was duty bound to protect were losing their lives, yet Johnson chose to trivialise their deaths and the sacrifices made by key workers and the British public by partying it up.’
Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: ‘There was an investigation… and it was also looked into by police. At all times, staff had clear guidance to retain any relevant information and co-operate.’
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One pair of aides started ‘feeling each other up’ in a kitchen then ducked into a dark room before emerging ‘flustered’ later.
