New ‘partygate’ report hits Boris Johnson for thoughtless, booze-filled lockdown escapades: ‘Should not have been allowed to take place’

While the rest of the country remained in lockdown, often restricted from gathering in public or even with close family and friends, Downing Street under British Prime Minister Boris Johnson maintained an inappropriate workplace culture of frequent partying and “excessive” drinking, according to a highly anticipated U.K. government report released Monday.

Civil servant Sue Gray called the behavior of Johnson and his staff during the COVID-19 lockdown a “serious failure” of leadership and “difficult to justify” in her final report issued this week.

Gray had been commissioned by Johnson to look into the matter following a national firestorm over allegations of frequent “bring your own booze” parties taking place at 10 Downing Street, the U.K. prime minister’s residence.

In all, Gray found that 16 potentially inappropriate parties took place on government property over the last 20 months while British residents suffered under strict government-imposed lockdowns. The “partygate” scandal has threatened Johnson’s leadership in recent weeks.

“Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the Government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify,” Gray wrote in the report.- READ MORE