Boris Johnson accused of ‘culture of disregard’ for Covid rules as test picture emerges

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Oris Johnson has been accused of presiding over a “culture of disregard for the rules” after a picture of him participating in a Downing Street contest appeared online surrounded by his teammates.

The photo, published by the Sunday Mirror newspaper, shows a screen of the Prime Minister sitting in front of a laptop computer in Library No. 10.

One of his teammates is wearing tinsel.

Downing Street said the Conservative leader had “briefly” taken “active” into the test.

The Sunday Mirror reported that the event occurred on December 15.

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The festive event is said to have taken place just three days before the alleged Christmas party at No 10, which is currently being investigated by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.

Deputy party leader Angela Rayner said: “While the rules state that people should not throw Christmas parties at work and Brits across the country are doing the right thing, Boris Johnson has instead been happy to preside over a rule-agnostic culture at the heart of government.

Despite the frequent denials of the parties at the number 10, it is now clear that there were many parties and gatherings, and even the prime minister took part in a festive contest.

“Boris Johnson really thinks this is a rule for him and another for everyone else.

“He is a man unfit to lead this country.”

However, Cabinet Minister Nadim Zahawi responded by saying that the Labor Party had taken the “wrong” position on Boris Johnson’s appearance in the test.

The education minister told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I think (Sir) Keir Starmer needs to make a decision.

“One minute he says he doesn’t want to do politics, and the next, I think he’s political and wrong about that.”

He added, “I think in many ways the hype that has been made in the past two weeks around parties will be properly investigated by the Cabinet Secretary.

“My email inbox is full of people who think it was kind of at parties with guests and all sorts of things happen.

“In fact, they can now make a decision when they see this picture of the Prime Minister on a virtual screen, on a Zoom call in which he thanks his team, who are in the building because they have to respond to a national emergency.”

Official guidance at the time stated: “Although there are exceptions for work purposes, you should not have a business lunch or party on Christmas, as this is essentially a social activity and is not permitted by the rules at your level.”

At the time of testing, London was Level 2 which said there should be no mixing of households indoors, except for support bubbles, and a maximum of six people outside.

The Sunday Mirror quoted a source who alleged that several employees crowded by computers, consulted about questions and drank alcohol while taking the test.

It was reported that Mr Johnson surprised the staff by appearing on screen as the Test Master in one 10- to 15-minute round.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: “This was a hypothetical test.

“Downing Street employees were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response, so those who were in the office for work may have actually come from their desks.

“The Prime Minister almost briefly took part in a short quiz to thank the staff for their hard work throughout the year.”

The competition reports come as Mr. Case, who is also the head of the civil service, is investigating three alleged rule-breaking government gatherings last winter.

Staff reportedly held a Christmas party at No. 10 on December 18, with a leaked video – filmed four days after the alleged drinks – showing top Downing Street aides joking about a “fantasy” party.

A second event allegedly reported in Downing Street – the departure of an aide said to have occurred on 27 November – was attended by the prime minister, who the mirror said gave a speech.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey’s staff drank late in the workplace next to her office while Covid restrictions were in place (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) / PA Wire

Mr. Case is investigating both alleged events, along with a festive ceremony organized at the Department of Education that officials have expressed regret about.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has since confirmed that employees of Therese’s Coffee drank alcohol and ate takeaway “late evening” on a number of occasions during the coronavirus restrictions.

It comes after the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported that political and officials staff frequently drank after work until the early hours of the morning, ordering food to the office of the Secretary of Labor and Pensions at the ministry’s headquarters in Whitehall.

The DWP has confirmed that there have been times when alcohol has been consumed in a workplace outside the Cabinet Secretary’s Whitehall office but stressed that this occurred while work continued after normal business hours.

A source told the Palestinian News Agency that offices in the office were socially distant and there was no “partisan atmosphere going on.”

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