16 more gatherings at No10 and Chequers uncovered in Boris Johnson’s diaries

Boris Johnson’s newly unearthed official diaries have revealed 16 more gatherings at No10 and Chequers that may have broken lockdown rules, it has been revealed.

Government lawyers raised concerns about “potentially problematic” entries that suggested Covid guidance may not have been followed.

The Privileges Committee, which investigated whether Mr Johnson misled MPs over Partygate, was presented with the evidence last month.

In its report, it said that on May 18 as its inquiry drew to a close officials “supplied us with new evidence relating to 16 gatherings at No10 and at Chequers”..

A statement by the Government, which accompanied the information, said: “As part of their work preparing Boris Johnson’s witness statement for the Covid Inquiry, the counsel team supporting Mr Johnson identified a number of diary entries as potentially problematic.

“These entries are based on an assessment by Government Legal Department as to events/activities which could reasonably be considered to constitute breaches of Covid Regulations.”

Mr Johnson has insisted that the gatherings referred to in the diary entries did not break lockdown rules.

In a statement the Privileges Committee, the former PM’s lawyers said: “None of the events referred to in the documents constitute breaches of Covid Regulations and nobody has ever raised any concerns whatsoever with Mr Johnson about them.”

They later added that “each event was lawful” because it was either for work purposes, was allowed under the rule of six, took place outside, or was permitted under rules for those who were pregnant or needed help with childcare.

As well as providing the diary entries to the Privileges Committee, the Cabinet Office has also sent them to the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police.

The 16 gatherings come on top of the six examined by the Privileges Committee. These included the “Bring Your Own Booze” party in the No10 garden in May 2020.

Around “200-odd” people were invited to the gathering despite concerns from officials that the event during the first lockdown was “madness”.

Mr Johnson was fined by the Metropolitan Police for a June 2020 gathering in the Cabinet Room to mark his 56th birthday, which was attended by at least 17 others including his wife Carrie and Rishi Sunak. A cake and alcohol was provided.

The Privileges Committee concluded it was “unlikely” he would have been unaware of a Christmas party in December 2020 that went on until “the early hours”.

Mr Johnson did not attend but the staircase up to his flat begin next to the doorway leading through the No10 Press Office where it was taking place.

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