Boris Johnson has sacked the chair of the Number 10 parties probe after it emerged his department held a rule-breaking gathering last year.
The extraordinary revelation plunged the Prime Minister’s administration further into chaos, as he scrambles to hold on to his job.
Just two weeks ago, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case was tasked with “establishing the facts” surrounding gatherings held at Number 10 and across Whitehall in December last year, while London was under Covid-19 restrictions.
But it emerged tonight that he and his team sent out digital invitations to a “Christmas Party” in a room in the Cabinet Office on December 17 last year - the day before the alleged Number 10 party he was charged with investigating.
A Cabinet Office source confirmed the Cabinet Secretary's private office held a ‘virtual quiz’ on December 17, starting at 5.30pm and lasting an hour.
They said about six members of staff, who had been working in the office that day, took part in person - with the rest of the team joining from home.
Mr Case did not take part in the event, the source said, but it's understood he walked through the private office while it was taking place, so would have been aware it was happening.
Alcohol and snacks were enjoyed by those present, which were provided by staff themselves.
Mr Case spoke to staff briefly at the end of the event, and then left.
Number 10 last night confirmed Mr Case had “recused himself” from the remainder of the probe - to be replaced by Sue Gray, an official at Michael Gove’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: “She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Staff in the Cabinet Secretary’s private office took part in a virtual quiz on 17 December 2020.
“A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, took part from their desks, while the rest of the team were virtual.
“The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the team’s office on the way to his own office. No outside guests or other staff were invited or present.
“This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending. He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.”
The revelation sparked fury from campaigners and serious questions about the integrity of the probe into gatherings across Westminster last year, while Brits were forced to cancel Christmas plans with friends and family.
When he was appointed earlier this month, a Number 10 spokesperson was asked for reassurances that Mr Case would be a credible investigator.
They replied: "It’s clear that he is rightly leading what will be an independent process looking into the allegations made on that date in No10."
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: "Labour made it clear when the investigation was launched that the person in charge should be uncompromised and able to make a fair and independent judgement.
"These fresh revelations put that into question."
Lobby Akinnola, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said "The stories that the Government were partying whilst families across the country were unable to be with their loved ones in their dying moments, has caused an unspeakable amount of pain for bereaved families like mine.
“The least the Government can do for us now is tell the truth. Sadly, the news that the Cabinet Secretary’s office were themselves breaking the rules, makes many of us believe they won’t even have the decency to manage that. At this point it feels like it would be easier to just name the senior Government figures that didn’t attend parties.
“It’s clear that the only way we’re going to get the honesty we deserve is if this investigation is handled truly independently. Anything less is just further disrespect to those who have already lost so much to this pandemic."
Just hours before details of the parties emerged, a senior Tory and ally of Mr Johnson said they were confident Mr Case’s report would “vindicate” the Prime Minister.
Conservative Chairman Oliver Dowden said: “I'm confident that that inquiry will vindicate the Prime Minister's assertion that everything that happened was within the rules.”
And he said “I don't think there's a need” for the Cabinet Secretary to widen his inquiry to an alleged No10 party during the first lockdown.
Boris Johnson allegedly joined around 20 civil servants and Tory aides on May 15 last year who had pizza and wine inside Downing Street and in the garden, with some staying late into the evening.
The Cabinet Secretary was investigating four events from 2020:
- A No10 leaving do on November 27 for aide Cleo Watson, where the Prime Minister spoke and around 40 staff were said to be packed into a room
- A gathering at the Department for Education on December 10
- A quiz on December 15 in which the Prime Minister posed the questions via video link, but with two members of staff wearing Christmas get-ups physically next to him;
- A No10 Christmas party on December 18 which was planned in advance and around 40 staff were said to be “cheek by jowl”, some wearing Christmas jumpers.
Mr Dowden claimed the May 15 gathering was a “meeting that took place in the garden”.
He told Sky News: “I have seen the account given by Downing Street that there was a meeting that took place, and it took place outside. I think that that was perfectly appropriate and reasonable.
“There had been a press conference previously, and it was perfectly reasonable to have the meeting afterwards outside."
He added: "I don't think there's a need for the Cabinet Secretary to look into this one because the circumstances appear to be pretty clear."
