Boris Johnson and lockdown parties: The story so far

For most of 2020, the UK was in different stages of lockdown, with many children and parents working at home, and rules meaning people weren't able to meet up or spend time with people they didn't live with.

Disappointingly for many, this meant many gatherings, parties or activities had to be cancelled, or carried out virtually in order to keep people safe and to stay within the lockdown rules set down by the government.

But now we have found out that members of the government and their staff who set the rules - including Prime Minister Boris Johnson - had held or attended several gatherings throughout this time.

Although the Prime Minister wasn't at all the gatherings, he's had to admit some took place, apologised if people were upset, but has also said he doesn't think he broke any rules.

It's caused a lot of anger among the public and Members of Parliament and even the police are getting involved. It has put the Prime Minister in serious trouble - with many people calling for him to lose his job.

Now everyone is waiting to see what an official investigation looking into what happened will say when it finally gets published. So how has all this unfolded?

How it started

7 December 2020: Party rumours and a 'jokey' video

Reports started to come out in December 2021 that a party had taken place on 18 December 2020 in Downing Street, with the BBC later being told that "several dozen" people attended.

Information given to the BBC, by someone who claimed to be there, said that party games were played, food and drink was served, and the party went on past midnight.

For some time, Downing Street officials continued to say no party took place, and Boris Johnson - who was not at the party - said no Covid rules were broken.

Allegra Stratton said she regretted making the comments after the video was published

But then a video was leaked to ITV News, showing senior staff joking about it and appearing to be trying to work out how they would answer questions about it if they were asked.

Staff were heard laughing and making references to "cheese and wine", while Boris Johnson's then spokesperson Allegra Stratton commented that there was "definitely no social distancing".

At that point Mr Johnson addressed it in Parliament. He apologised for the video and said he was "furious" about the clip.

He also launched an investigation into what had been going on. However, he also said he'd been assured that no rules were broken.

At the time London was under Tier 3 restrictions, meaning social events, including parties were banned. The law said: "No person may participate in a gathering in the Tier 3 area which consists of two or more people, and takes place in any indoor space".

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18 December 2021: Person doing the investigating has to step down

Not long after the investigation was announced by the prime minister, the person leading it had to quit!

Sir Simon Case - a senior civil servant - had to stand down after it emerged that a party had taken place in his own office.

Mr Case was replaced as the head of the investigation by another senior civil servant - Sue Gray.

20 December 2021: Government says garden photo shows work meeting

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

Just a few days later, a photograph was published showing a gathering of staff in the Downing Street garden with bottles of wine and a cheese board.

In the photo, the prime minister, his wife and government staff can be seen sitting together in the garden of No. 10. The reports said this gathering took place in May 2020, when gatherings were banned in outdoor public places.

At this time, people were allowed to go to work if it wasn't possible for them to work from home - but people from different households had to stay two metres apart if possible.

Downing Street said the picture showed a "work meeting" and that meetings often took place outside during summer months. Some people have argued that things are more complicated because while Downing Street is a workplace with outdoor space, it's also Boris Johnson's home and garden - where he would have been allowed to go.

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13 January 2022: Boris Johnson admits attending a gathering but says he didn't break the rules

In January of this year, more stories of parties came out. The prime minister then admitted to attending a party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, during the first lockdown.

This all came out after witnesses said an email had been sent around to about 100 staff inviting them to come to what the invite said was a "socially distanced drinks" to reward people for their hard work during the pandemic.

Mr Johnson said he went along to thank staff before going back into his office 25 minutes later, and at the time "implicitly believed this was a work event".

However the prime minister also said that, looking back, he should have sent everyone inside and found another way to thank staff.

He claimed the event was "technically within the rules" but said he should have realised how it would look to the public.

At the time, the coronavirus rules in England meant that people were not allowed to have gatherings indoors and could only meet up outside with one other person who they didn't live with.

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15 January 2022: Downing Street apologises to the Queen over parties

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

Not long afterwards, Downing Street had to issue an apology to Buckingham Palace for two gatherings held the night before the funeral of Prince Philip - the Queen's husband..

Reports said the parties happened on 16 April 2021 and took place when Covid restrictions banned socialising indoors. At the funeral the rules meant that the Queen had to sit alone, away from family members.

Boris Johnson was not at either party but the PM's spokesman said it was "deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning".

The apology to the Queen was made by government officials and this event was added to the list of gatherings being investigated.

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24 January 2022: Reports that Boris Johnson had a lockdown birthday party

Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds up a birthday cake as he visits a primary school in Hertfordshire, a few hours before he received another cake in Downing Street

ITV News reported that on 19 June 2020, during the first Covid lockdown up to 30 people came together indoors to celebrate Mr Johnson's birthday.

It had been arranged as a surprise for Mr Johnson by his wife, Carrie, after he returned from an official trip to a school where they made him a cake. It claimed the group came together in 10 Downing Street, sang 'Happy Birthday' and were also served cake.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said this happened at the end of a working day and the number of staff present was "closer to 10" and it "was literally just a birthday cake brought in at the end of the day".

A day after this news was reported a spokesperson for Mr Johnson said staff had "gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes".

Rules at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.

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