New Boris Johnson Partygate revelations have emerged – and they're pretty shocking

Just when you thought the festivities were over, the last of the cans cleared away, Ubers booked and hangovers brewing, Partygate has reared its ugly head again.

Yes, the issue of government staffers breaking lockdown rules while the rest of the country hibernated is back in the news once more thanks to new reports from ITV claiming Boris Johnson joked about social distancing at one of the many dodgy dos.

The then prime minister joked to Downing Street staff “this is the most unsocially distanced party in the UK right now”, during a boozy Number 10 leaving do, the broadcaster claimed.

They add that when they approached the politician for comment, he did not deny saying it.

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The event in question was a leaving party for Johnson's former director of communications Lee Cain in November 2020. The now ex-PM appeared at the event to say a few words and, whilst he didn't receive a police fine for doing so, attending staff did.

Johnson is still due to appear before a Commons Standards Committee, which is investigating whether he knowingly misled MPs when he insisted all guidance had been followed at the event in parliament. If he is found to have misled MPs, his position as a sitting politician could be in trouble.

Reacting to the news, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain said: "These shocking revelations confirm Boris Johnson's total disregard for the rules he asked us all to follow. He laughed and partied while the rest of the country suffered.

"Conservative MPs should be ashamed that they backed Johnson for so long and that some are even considering putting him back in Number 10."

Meanwhile, Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said the revelations are a reminder of why Boris Johnson is "totally unfit for office".

"While people were unable to say goodbye to loved ones or mourn with their families, he was breaking his own rules with reckless abandon and then lying to the British people," she said.

"Conservative MPs were complicit while Rishi Sunak personally propped him up for months as he set about degrading standards in public life. This joke's not funny anymore."

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