Covid-19: Government says garden photo shows work meeting

The Prime Minister is facing more questions about claims lockdown rules were broken at Downing Street, after a photo has been published showing the PM, his wife and government staff sitting together in the garden of No. 10.

The Guardian newspaper, which published the image, says the gathering took place in May 2020 - when strict social distancing measures were in place.

Downing Street have said the picture shows a "work meeting" and that meetings often took place outside during summer months.

An investigation is already taking place into a number of alleged parties at Downing Street in November and December last year.

The picture, published by The Guardian newspaper, was said to be taken in May 2020 during the first lockdown

The photograph shows a gathering of staff in the Downing Street garden with bottles of wine and a cheese board.

At that time, gatherings of more than two people were banned in outdoor public places. However, because the picture appears to show a private garden, that restriction would not apply.

Later on in the pandemic gatherings were banned in private gardens too.

At the time the photo was taken, people were allowed to go out to work if it was not possible to work from home.

But the social distancing rules stated that people from different households had to stay two metres apart if possible.

Defending the gathering, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told BBC Breakfast: "It's clear it wasn't against regulations... This is a workplace, and what we can see is consistent with the rules that applied to workplaces."

However, Labour MP Rachel Reeves has accused the government of repeated "law-breaking" over social gatherings, saying: "I do think there is evidence of law-breaking, not just on this occasion, but on multiple occasions."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "a stretch" to call the gathering a work meeting.

The news is another problem for the Prime Minister after what's been a difficult period for him - following the reports of Christmas parties at Downing Street, a recent election defeat, and the resignation of a top advisor.

An investigation into a number of alleged gatherings inside government buildings in November and December 2020 is currently underway.