Pictures seem to indicate Boris Johnson toasting a colleague throughout lockdown celebration

Boris Johnson’s premiership has been thrust deeper into peril with the publication of images exhibiting him ingesting wine with Downing Road workers within the depths of England’s second Covid lockdown in 2020.

The photographs, obtained by ITV Information as Westminster awaits the approaching publication of Sue Grey’s report into the Partygate scandal, throw doubt on the prime minister’s declare to the Home of Commons that no celebration passed off and no guidelines have been damaged in No 10.

They usually elevate the query of why the Metropolitan Police didn’t positive the PM for collaborating within the leaving celebration for former director of communications Lee Cain on 13 November 2020, when others have been penalised for attending.

The photographs emerged amid rising chaos and rigidity on the coronary heart of presidency over the Partygate scandal, with insiders describing the environment in No 10 and the Cupboard Workplace as “daggers drawn”.

One Tory MP advised The Impartial that the photographs made clear that Mr Johnson had lied to parliament, making it doubtless that extra letters of no confidence in his management could be written within the coming days.

One other senior Conservative mentioned that their look because the Partygate scandal was coming to a head had “shifted it into a distinct gear”.

Sir Roger Gale, the primary Tory MP to declare no confidence within the PM in December final 12 months, described the photographs – which present the PM apparently toasting Mr Cain with a plastic cup of glowing wine in a room suffering from alcohol bottles – as “damning”.

And Scottish Conservative chief Douglas Ross mentioned: “These pictures will rightly make individuals throughout the nation very indignant. The prime minister should define why he believes this behaviour was acceptable. To most, these photos appear unjustifiable and unsuitable.”

The poisonous temper has been fuelled by expectations that Ms Grey’s report will ship a scathing verdict on management in No 10 and the Cupboard Workplace and reveal a ingesting tradition inside authorities.

Insiders advised The Impartial that tensions had reached a degree on Monday the place the temper in Downing Road was “daggers drawn”, amid fallout from a livid row between No 10 and the Grey workforce over a gathering between the senior civil servant and Mr Johnson.

Downing Road denied that the PM had used the assembly earlier this month to place stress on Ms Grey to soft-pedal her findings.

However the spokesperson admitted it had been instigated by No 10 – simply hours after Treasury minister Simon Clarke insisted in a TV interview that the request to satisfy had come from Ms Grey.

A senior Whitehall official tasked with briefing the media on behalf of the inquiry was moved to different duties after No 10’s model of occasions was contradicted by the Grey workforce over the weekend.

And Mr Johnson’s official spokesperson was compelled to disclaim that the PM felt Ms Grey was “taking part in politics” along with her inquiry, after reviews that his allies had been briefing in opposition to her.

Mr Johnson’s former prime aide Dominic Cummings claimed that relations have been breaking down between feuding factions inside No 10, with longer-serving workers who have been current on the time of the events in 2020 and 2021 fearing they’d be made scapegoats by others who had arrived extra not too long ago.

“A few of these in key positions, now or very not too long ago, have tried in charge different officers,” mentioned Mr Cummings. “These officers assume a few of these in key positions now have behaved appallingly, and are making ready to take motion.”

Ms Grey’s report is predicted to single out as many as 30 senior civil servants for criticism, in addition to providing granular element on the numbers of individuals crammed into the rooms in Downing Road and the Cupboard Workplace within the adjoining 70 Whitehall complicated.

These underneath hearth are anticipated to incorporate the pinnacle of the civil service, cupboard secretary Simon Case, and his predecessor Mark Sedwill.

Talking of the environment throughout the Cupboard Workplace, one official advised The Impartial: “It’s one other grim one. It’s daggers drawn.

“Some officers assume that Case ought to go, that he ought to have refused to permit an inside investigation at the start. Others are already livid at the concept he may take the autumn for the neighbours.”

Nevertheless, a distinct official with data of Ms Grey’s report claimed that she would additionally word the broader roles of chief working officers in No 10 and 70 Whitehall, including: “It’s about who ought to have been noting the actions and actions of workers all through.”

At the least seven different individuals are seen with Mr Johnson within the photographs, although their options have been pixelated to keep away from identification. None are observing the two-metre social distancing guidelines required when assembly individuals outdoors the house throughout lockdown.

On a chair sits an official crimson field – used to hold ministers’ papers – and on the desk subsequent to the PM are two bottles of champagne or cava, 4 bottles of wine, and half a bottle of gin. Additionally seen are celebration cups, biscuits, crisps and different meals.

The occasion passed off simply eight days after England went right into a nationwide lockdown, barring gatherings of individuals from multiple family aside from important work functions. And it occurred just a few weeks after Mr Johnson allegedly mentioned he would somewhat “let the our bodies pile excessive” than impose recent restrictions.

A spokesperson for the Grey inquiry wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not Ms Grey had seen the photographs earlier than finishing her report.

However a No 10 spokesperson mentioned: “The Cupboard Workplace and the Met Police have had entry to all info related to their investigations, together with images. The Met have concluded their investigation and Sue Grey will publish her report within the coming days, at which level the prime minister will tackle parliament in full.”

Requested within the Home of Commons on 1 December 2021 if he may verify whether or not a celebration had taken place on 13 November the earlier 12 months, Mr Johnson replied: “No, however I’m certain that, no matter occurred, the steering was adopted and the principles have been adopted always.”

Every week later, on 8 December, the PM advised the Commons: “I’ve been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no celebration, and that no Covid guidelines have been damaged.” And at a Downing Road press convention later that day, he mentioned: “All of the proof I can see is that folks on this constructing have stayed throughout the guidelines.”

One Conservative MP, who has already submitted a no-confidence letter, advised The Impartial: “These photographs present that Boris misled parliament. It’s laborious to say this was needed for work functions when there are seven bottles of booze open.

“It undoubtedly will increase the chance that MPs who advised their constituents that they have been ready for the Sue Grey report will now ship off their letters.”

The MP mentioned that various Tories had taken again the letters that they had despatched to 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, after final week’s conclusion of the police inquiry into Partygate appeared to “let the PM off the hook”.

However they added: “There’s nonetheless quite a lot of unhappiness on the market, and these photographs will deliver it again to the floor. Persons are actually beginning to fear in regards to the electoral affect, particularly with two by-elections developing.”

Distinguished backbencher Steve Baker, who has beforehand mentioned “the gig is up” for Mr Johnson, declined to touch upon the photographs, however tweeted a lockdown poster depicting a significantly ailing Covid affected person with the phrases: “Look her within the eyes and inform her you by no means bend the principles.”

Labour’s deputy chief Angela Rayner mentioned there was now “little doubt” that the PM knew that lockdown guidelines had been damaged in No 10, or that he had lied in parliament about it.

“Whereas the British public have been making large sacrifices, Boris Johnson was breaking the regulation,” mentioned Ms Rayner. “Boris Johnson mentioned repeatedly that he knew nothing about law-breaking – there’s little doubt now, he lied.”

The Liberal Democrats known as on the Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct to open an inquiry into the choice of the Met’s Operation Hillman to not concern Mr Johnson with a hard and fast penalty discover in relation to the 13 November occasion.

The celebration’s deputy chief, Daisy Cooper, mentioned: “If anybody else had been pictured at a celebration like this throughout lockdown, absolutely this is able to have been sufficient proof for them to be fined.”