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Kate Plummer
Feb 05, 2022
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Independent
Police have a photo of Boris Johnson swigging from a can of Estrella beer at his lockdown birthday party in June 2020, according to reports.
The Mirror claims an anonymous source told them about the alleged photo which reportedly shows chancellor Rishi Sunak next to him, having a soft drink, and that it is thought to have been taken by Johnson’s official taxpayer-funded photographer who was documenting the event.
The 'party' in question is the one that Downing Street admitted staff “gathered briefly” at while it was illegal to socialise indoors. It was a surprise birthday celebration organised by Carrie Johnson - but No. 10 said the PM only stayed for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, it is thought to be among 300 pictures submitted to the Metropolitan Police as evidence of by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
Asked about the reports of the PM’s birthday photo, No 10 told the Independent it could not comment while the Met Police’s investigation was ongoing.
But people reacted by joking that Johnson may wish to claim he was "ambushed" with the beer - referencing the Tory MP who infamously said the PM was "ambushed with a cake" at the event - and by wondering why he didn't choose a British beer given his love of Brexit.
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Here's a round-up of those reactions:
Ambushed by an Estrella - could have been worse, could have been a Coronahttps://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Jess Denton (@Jess Denton) 1644007554
The can of Estrella belonged to an aide. I was just holding it to make a toast to world peace.\n\nBesides, it couldn't have been mine as I lost the ability to digest beer some years ago. \n\nI stayed for 5 minutes then took Carrie to Pizza Express.\n\n#JohnsonOut11 \n#BorisJohnsonOut11pic.twitter.com/UUabSVIui2— The Social Sciences \ud83d\udc99 \ud83d\ude37 (@The Social Sciences \ud83d\udc99 \ud83d\ude37) 1644009115
It wasn\u2019t a premeditated organised party... in a sense he was ambushed by a can of Estrella.pic.twitter.com/pN6UUy7spd— Ian Fraser (@Ian Fraser) 1644012187
Look, let's be clear. Boris Johnson could have been holding a can of Estrella while wandering around inside Number 10 looking for a business meeting that required Spanish lager to join. This doesn't mean there was any cake present, which is the important thing here.— Nick Tyrone (@Nick Tyrone) 1644008124
Whilst avoiding and ambush from a vicious cake, I grabbed the closest weapon to hand, which turned out to be a can of #Estrella.. Damn.pic.twitter.com/5fIjD9zImM— Graham Phipps (@Graham Phipps) 1644018008
Absolut disgrace to see Boris pictured with an Estrella. The man led an anti-europe campaign, he should be allowed Carling or Holsten Pils only.— Rhys James (@Rhys James) 1644057580
The irony of it being a "forrin beer" that could finish Johnson isn't lost on me. #Estrella— \ud83d\udd36Jonathan Banks\ud83d\udd36 (@\ud83d\udd36Jonathan Banks\ud83d\udd36) 1644049475
When the sun shines we shine together\nTold u I be there forever\nSaid I always be your friend\nTook an oath stick it out till the end\nNow that its raining more than ever\nKnow that we still have each other\nI will lie about your Estrella\nI will lie about your Estrella\nElla ella eh ehpic.twitter.com/4UKwKlmj7y— Paul Sinha (@Paul Sinha) 1644052271
Estrella? Barely knew 'er!https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1489733336104853504?t=q441VtpAWgHuLK9NL92t8g&s=19\u00a0\u2026— Marie Le Conte (@Marie Le Conte) 1644015882
There was no beer\nIt was within rules beer\nIt was work event beer\nNo-one told me it was beer\nI was ambushed by beer\nI\u2019ll sack person who gave me beerhttps://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Paul Johnson (@Paul Johnson) 1644012409
Boris Johnson was 'ambushed' by birthday cake, didn't know he was at a party and accidentally held a beer.\n\nHow much longer will Tory MPs allow this farce to continue? He broke the rules. He lied. He misled Parliament. They must finally show him the door.https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/bombshell-picture-shows-boris-johnson-26144515\u00a0\u2026— Ian Blackford (@Ian Blackford) 1644007324
If the fact Boris drinks Estrella from a tin and not a bottle doesn\u2019t get 54 letters, nothing willhttps://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Greg Barradale (@Greg Barradale) 1644007169
Ambushed by the truth once again.https://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Peter Kyle MP (@Peter Kyle MP) 1644010985
So top news of the day: Boris Johnson drunk Estrella beer at his birthday party during lockdown.\n\nA Spanish beer . Spain a member state of the EU The Brexiters will never forgive him. Traitor— \ud83c\udff3\u200d\ud83c\udf08 Frank \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa (@\ud83c\udff3\u200d\ud83c\udf08 Frank \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa) 1644014219
Cue a barrage of MPs lining up to defend him by saying, "He was ambushed by a can of beer."\n\n#Partygate #BorisJohnson #JohnsonOut11 #ToriesOuthttps://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Ruth \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa (@Ruth \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa) 1644011914
He didn't know it was his birthday party, even after blowing out the candles and grabbing a beer.https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/bombshell-picture-shows-boris-johnson-26144515\u00a0\u2026— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan \ud83d\udc99 (@Dr Rosena Allin-Khan \ud83d\udc99) 1644009194
Just when you think there\u2019s no more idiocy to be uncovered he surprises you. HE HAD A PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURES THE WHOLE TIME.https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Stephen Mangan (@Stephen Mangan) 1644011818
Ambushed by cake AND beer?https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Paul Brand (@Paul Brand) 1644012298
NO NOT BORIS SURELY NOT I DON\u2019T BELIEVE IThttps://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Adam Kay (@Adam Kay) 1644015933
A headline that somehow gets worse with every word https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Sathnam Sanghera (@Sathnam Sanghera) 1644013558
Vanity eats itself. Narcissus stares at his own reflection and falls in love.https://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— Chris Bryant (@Chris Bryant) 1644017248
Another ambushhttps://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405\u00a0\u2026— John Crace (@John Crace) 1644018238
Johnson: "Well at least there's no incriminating photos of me"\nAdvisor: "Hold my beer"\n\n#Estrella #JohnsonOut12— Trevor Lambert #SaveTheBBC (@Trevor Lambert #SaveTheBBC) 1644057144
This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'beer fear'.
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