Covid: Downing Street denies Boris Johnson lockdown party claim

Downing Street has denied reports that Boris Johnson attended a "party" in No 10 during spring last year.

The Guardian and the Independent reported around 20 staff drank alcohol and ate pizzas at a gathering after a government press conference on 15 May.

Sources told the newspapers the prime minister joined the officials and advisers for around 15 minutes.

They added that then-health secretary Matt Hancock was also seen at the event.

Covid rules in place at the time allowed only two people from different households to socialise outside in public places.

The newspapers reported that staff had some staff had drinks at their desks, with others drinking in the Downing Street garden.

They reported some staff drank late into the evening - but added there was no suggestion Mr Johnson or Mr Hancock drank themselves or stayed late.

Mr Hancock led the government press conference from Downing Street that day, on Friday 15 May.

The BBC understands staff in Downing Street regularly had drinks at their desks on a Friday in their Covid-secure office.

In response to the reports, a Downing Street spokesperson said that staff "regularly use the garden for some meetings" during summer months.

They added that on 15 May Mr Johnson had held a "series of meetings throughout the afternoon, including briefly with the then health and care secretary and his team in the garden following a press conference".

"The prime minister went to his residence shortly after 7pm," the spokesperson added.

"A small number of staff required to be in work remained in the Downing Street garden for part of the afternoon and evening."

A spokesperson for Mr Hancock told the newspapers that after the press conference had finished at around 5:53pm, he had debriefed his own advisers and went to the Downing Street garden to debrief the prime minister.

"He left Downing Street at 6.32pm and went back to the Department for Health and Social Care," the spokesman said.