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The PM may have attended a packed BYOB party in No. 10’s garden at the height of lockdown

Oonagh Keating. Updated January 22nd, 2024

In response to the accusation that there had been an illegal gathering in the garden of 10 Downing Street, Dominic Cummings took to his Substack blog to explain why it wasn’t a party.

The scene on the terrace was in no sense a ‘party’ or ‘organised drinks’. Many meetings had been taking place in the garden all day. While the PM and I had been at that table, various other groups had formed and dispersed in the garden/terrace. Those on the terrace nearest me in the photo had been having a meeting.

Let’s just say – chinny reckon.

But as Cummings put forward his arguments on that front, he dropped a much larger accusation – that there had been a planned social gathering in the same spot five days later – a big one.

On Wednesday 20 May, the week after this photo, a senior No10 official invited people to ‘socially distanced drinks’ in the garden.

With around 100 email invitations alleged to have been sent out, it’s no great surprise that someone leaked one of them to ITV, home of the party scoop.

UK Editor Paul Brand revealed the story on Twitter.

Ten or so? Do they definitely mean parties or is that the PM’s children.

Just a few days later, Dominic Cummings would hold a press conference in the same garden to excuse his trip to Durham.

We’re almost surprised people have the energy to keep commenting – but they do.

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