Anger at more Downing Street lockdown parties

Boris Johnson is already facing calls to resign over a drinks gathering he admitted to attending in May 2020

The stories about parties in Downing Street during lockdown are causing real problems for the Prime Minister and they won't go away.

Now there are reports that Downing Street staff held two parties the night before the funeral of the Queen's husband Prince Philip and at a time when Covid restrictions banned indoor mixing.

Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson wasn't at either party - which are said to have taken place on 16 April 2021.

After admitting to going to a party in the garden of Downing Street which could also have broken lockdown rules, the PM is already facing calls - including by some of his own team - to stand down.

An investigation is going on into what has been happening with parties in Downing Street and elsewhere in government and Mr Johnson has asked everyone to wait for the outcome of that, which is expected as early as next week.

What is said to have happened?

Boris Johnson apologised at Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions for attending an event in the Downing Street garden

One of the events on 16 April was a leaving party for a senior member of Mr Johnson's staff, James Slack, which reportedly happened at the same time as another gathering in the basement for one of the PM's personal photographers.

The two parties are then said to have joined together in the Downing Street garden and continued past midnight.

When asked about it, a Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Slack "gave a farewell speech to thank each team for the work they had done to support him, both those who had to be in the office for work and on a screen for those working from home".

When asked about the other party and any staff mixing, she said she had "nothing further to add".

Period of mourning

A day after it is claimed the parties took place, the Queen was pictured sitting alone at Prince Philip's funeral due to Covid restrictions

At the time, England was under rules which said people could not mix indoors, except with those from their household or support bubble. People could socialise outdoors in groups of up to six people or two households.

During this time, the UK was also in a period of national mourning, which ran from 9 April to 17 April, following the Duke of Edinburgh's death.

This latest report adds to a growing list of gatherings said to have taken place in Downing Street and other government departments during the pandemic.

But Mr Johnson has faced special criticism after it emerged he had attended one on 20 May 2020 during the first lockdown.

Mr Johnson apologised for that in the House of Commons, saying he had joined staff for 25 minutes to thank them for their hard work. But he said he had believed "it was a work event".