Viral Photo Of PM Boris Johnson Gathering During COVID-19 Lockdown, Downing Street: It's A Jobs Discussion

JAKARTA - Britain's Guardian newspaper on Sunday published a photo of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several dozen people drinking wine in the garden of his No.10 Downing Street residence that it said was taken during the COVID-19 lockdown in May 2020. PM Boris Johnson's office said there was staff meeting in the park that day.

Downing Street defended a photograph. The picture shows Boris Johnson, his wife, and up to 17 staff apparently drinking in a Downing Street park during the first lockdown. His defense was, they were discussing work at the time.

The prime minister's spokesman said it was a work meeting after the COVID press conference on 15 May 2020. The fact it happened outside normal business hours means it's within the regulations for them to drink wine.

On Friday, Downing Street denied any social activity had taken place that evening, following a 5pm Covid press conference hosted by Matt Hancock, then secretary of health.

Johnson's spokesman said on Monday the photo showed "individual conversations after the press conference, discussing work issues". He said, "There are meetings taking place both inside and outside No 10. It shows co-workers who are required to work, meetings after press conferences to discuss work."

Asked about the whereabouts of the wine bottles and glasses, the spokesperson said: “These are people who work outside normal working hours. It's not against the rules for those guys to drink outside of work hours, but still discussing work."

PM Johnson has been hit by a string of media reports in recent weeks over alleged Christmas parties at government offices, including his own, last year in violation of the COVID-19 lockdown and has ordered an investigation.

The report has disappointed voters who were ordered by the government to forego their own Christmas event last year, and who face the possibility of being told to curb their Christmas plans for a second year running as the Omicron variant spreads rapidly.

The images published by the Guardian are reportedly from May 2020, shortly after Johnson was discharged from the hospital where he spent several nights in intensive care with COVID-19.