Southampton MPs react to Downing Street lockdown garden drinks

The Prime Minister faces mounting pressure to resign as he admitted attending the party during PMQ's this afternoon.

Earlier this week, an email appearing to show Downing Street's private secretary arranging a lockdown-busting drinks gathering in the garden at No.10 was leaked.

It is understood around 100 people were invited to a “bring-your-own-booze” drinks party on May 20 2020. 

Witnesses have said the Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among the attendees.

During this time, the country was in the midst of the pandemic and the first national lockdown, with numerous stringent government rules in place.

Schools, non-essential shops, hospitality venues and businesses including beauty salons and hairdressers remained closed.

You were only permitted to meet one other person from another household outdoors, with advice to remain two metres apart.

Larger gatherings with people from other households was not allowed, with funerals, or where the gathering was essential for work purposes, being the exception.

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Alan Whitehead has described the situation as "incredibly frustrating."

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Alan Whitehead

He said: "This behaviour from the Prime Minister and his inner circle is no longer shocking, coming at the end of a long line of rule bending and breaking over the last year or so.  

"It is incredibly frustrating and upsetting that while the majority of local people were doing the right thing trying to keep their loved ones and wider community safe, Boris Johnson was allegedly having garden parties. 

"Many Southampton people were contacting me at that time, weddings having been cancelled, businesses at risk of closure, mental health suffering. They made untold sacrifices that apparently Boris Johnson and his team were not willing to make. 

"I think they should face the same consequences that others were made to face when they broke the rules during lockdown.

"We cannot have one rule for the government and another for everyone else."

Tory MP for Southampton Itchen, Royston Smith has also voiced his opinion.

Tory MP for Southampton Itchen, Royston Smith

He said: "I don't know if the Prime Minister broke any rules, we'll know more after the enquiry, but whatever the situation with invites and parties, the Prime Minister was outside in his own garden so far as I can tell.

"What I find fascinating is why the media aren't publicly asking who is behind all of these leaks and allegations. That is the real story in my opinion but the media don't seem to want to follow that line of enquiry.

"The Prime Minister needs to explain what he knows, apologise if necessary and move on. I think most people would have understood that."

In an email to her constituents, Tory MP for Romsey and Southampton North Caroline Nokes said: "I am very conscious I have spent the last 22 months exhorting my constituents to abide by the restrictions placed upon them. By and large they have done the right thing.

Tory MP for Romsey and Southampton North Caroline Nokes (Image: Supplied)

"They have been unable to comfort grieving widows at funerals. They have postponed or cancelled significant life events, birthdays, ceremonies, weddings.

"I have no words that can adequately express how angry I am at the 'Don't do as I do, do as I say' attitude that appears to have prevailed in Downing Street.

"I will not try to explain or excuse, but i will certainly apologise to you for the conduct that has come to light."

Daily Echo readers have said they were grieving the loss of loved ones and enduring wedding cancellations at the time the PM is accused of attending a Downing Street party.

Speaking on Facebook, reader Sharon Ottembrajt said: "My husband was organising his fathers funeral after he died from having covid".

Another reader, David Cox said he was "in hospital receiving treatment for leukaemia without any family friends or visitors for 6 weeks at a time in my own room." 

Some readers made calls for Boris Johnson to resign after being asked what they were up to at the time of the alleged party.

Meanwhile, Lisa Hall responded saying: "Grieving the loss of my father after having a funeral with only 10 people allowed, so we were unable to actually give him a proper send off, we weren't even allowed a funeral car and he wasn't allowed to be carried in by his loved ones.

"To top it off I couldn't even meet up with my sister's so we could support each other."