Birthday party in lockdown
Another party, more pressure: report puts Boris Johnson in trouble
Will the party for his birthday be a nasty surprise for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson?
© Alberto Pezzali/AP/DPA
New trouble for Boris Johnson: According to a British broadcaster, there was also a birthday party for the British Prime Minister during the lockdown. Dissatisfaction is growing even in his own party.
According to a media report, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson violated his own government’s corona measures when celebrating his birthday in 2020. Like the UK broadcaster ITV reported on Monday, Johnson’s then-fiancé Carrie Symonds organized a surprise party for the Prime Minister on June 19, 2020. The prime minister was already under a lot of pressure because of numerous other violations of corona rules at the seat of government.
Up to 30 Johnson employees, but also at least one external guest, took part in the party, the broadcaster reported. At the time of the birthday party, which is said to have taken place at 10 Downing Street, only a maximum of six people were allowed to meet outdoors due to the corona pandemic.
Celebration of Boris Johnson’s birthday?
According to the report, Johnson received a birthday cake at the half-hour celebration and his guests serenaded him. The broadcaster also reported on another party that is said to have taken place in the evening in the presence of family friends.
The prime minister’s office said staff met briefly after a meeting to congratulate Johnson. The head of government was present for less than ten minutes. His office dismissed reports of another party in the evening as “completely untrue”. Johnson met with some family members outdoors.
Corona lockdown violations
Johnson has been under pressure for weeks because of reports of parties at Downing Street, despite the strict corona lockdown rules in force at the time. He recently admitted to attending a garden party on May 20, 2020 in Parliament and apologized. At that time, even meetings of more than two people outdoors were forbidden because of the pandemic.
During a question and answer session in the London House of Commons on Wednesday, Johnson showed himself combative. But the pressure on him is growing: British media estimates that the number of Tory MPs needed for an internal party vote of no confidence in the head of government could soon be reached.
Further source:itv.