UK PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson is facing fresh allegations of breaking coronavirus rules.
It has that emerged staff gathered in No 10 to wish him a happy birthday during the first national lockdown.
ITV News reported that up to 30 people attended a birthday celebration.
Downing Street has refuted the accounted and said staff only “gathered briefly” in the Cabinet Room after a meeting.
The broadcaster said the Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, had organised the surprise get-together on the afternoon of 19 June 2020, when social mixing indoors was banned.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “A group of staff working in No 10 that day gathered briefly in the Cabinet Room after a meeting to wish the Prime Minister a happy birthday. He was there for less than ten minutes.”
ITV news reported that later that evening family friends were hosted upstairs in the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Downing Street said: “This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening.”
The PA news agency was told that Lulu Lytle, the interior designer behind lavish renovations of his No 10 flat, briefly attended while undertaking work in Downing Street.
A spokeswoman for Soane Britain, the luxury designer co-founded by Lytle, said: “Lulu was present in Downing Street on 19 June working on the refurbishment.
“Lulu was not invited to any birthday celebrations for the Prime Minister as a guest.
“Lulu entered the Cabinet Room briefly as requested, while waiting to speak with the Prime Minister.”
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