The latest chapter in the parties during lockdown in Downing Street opened when ITV News published a series of photos that showed the party scenes of multiple bottles of alcohol in various states of being drunk and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, raising his glass, apparently giving a toast.
Since then, the BBC have reported that there were up to 30 people at the parties, with no social distancing in place and that the security guard who wanted to put a stop to a get-together was mocked for trying.
A full day ago we wrote to Bob Seely to ask him two connected questions
1) What’s your view on the ITV News photos showing Boris Johnson with a drink held high at a party, with at least eight other people present, alongside multiple open bottles of wine, in Downing Street on 13th Nov 2020, when the Government rules in the country at that time were that no groups larger than two people were allowed to meet?
2) Do you feel comfortable that when asked if there had been a party in Downing Street on the 13th Nov, he told the House “no but I’m sure whatever happened, the guidance and the rules were followed at all times”?
We’re keen to get a response as soon as possible on this one please.
Since then there’s been no response from him or his office.
This does follow a pattern when Bob isn’t prepared to share his views with those who elected him to represent them in the House of Commons.
When the Prime Minister was fined by the Police for breaking lockdown rules, Bob wasn’t available to comment, even after nine days there wasn’t a reply, and he chose not to respond to local press enquiries, only commenting on a national stage.
As another example, back in January the Isle of Wight MP didn’t answer when asked whether he supported the Prime Minister after Boris Johnson attended a ‘Bring Your Own Drinks’ party held in May 2020.
The Sue Gray report is due out today.
Seely: I won’t be calling on Boris Johnson to resign
Four hours after publishing this article and some time after the Sue Gray report was published, we received a response from the MP’s office. He chose not to answer the questions, but instead provided the following statement:
“I, like many others today, heard the Prime Minister’s statement and apology following the publication of Sue Gray’s report. Clearly, there are lessons to be learned and we have already heard from the Prime Minister that changes have been made in Downing Street.
“I hope that we can now move on so that Government can focus on other pressing matters including the rise in the cost of living, our response to Russian aggression and levelling up our country, as the Prime Minister outlined today.
“I won’t be calling on Boris Johnson to resign, in the same way that I won’t be calling on Labour leader Keir Starmer to resign, if he is fined breaking the rules of lockdown over the infamous ‘beergate’ supper in April 2021.”
Article edit
4.10pm 25th May 2022 – Comment from BS added
4.56pm 25th May 2022 – Added detail as to the BS comment arrival. Altered the headline and excerpt too
