Number 10 denied that Boris Johnson had told aides who objected to the «Bring Your Wine» party he attended that they had «overreacted» to organizing the event.
The claim – made by his close friend Dominic Lawson, a newspaper columnist – contradicts the prime minister’s claim that he did not realize the gathering was a party.
On Sunday, Downing Street said it was «incorrect that the prime minister had been warned about the event in advance» and that he «implicitly believed this was a work event».
Now his spokesman has expanded that denial to insist that he did not «defend the event» or tell any of his aides that they «overreacted».
When asked if Mr Lawson’s claims – including that Johnson called Martin Reynolds, his «loyal Labrador» private secretary – were accurate, the spokesman replied: «No.»
«These claims of precaution are not true, as we made clear over the weekend,» he added.
The denial comes as Tory MPs ponder mounting evidence that voters want Johnson to quit even before civil servant Sue Gray concludes her investigation into the chain of parties breaching lockdown measures.
No 10 declined to say if it had interviewed the prime minister, but said the «full» report would be published when it was ready, either later this week or next week.
Mr Johnson is «no longer required to minimize contact», after his wife Carrie or one of his sons tested positive for Covid, as their isolation period has ended.
However, it is unclear whether he will appear in public for the first time in nearly a week, ahead of the Prime Minister’s questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Asked if Mr Johnson was referring to himself as a ‘big dog’, while struggling to save his job – as the Independent was told – the spokesman replied: «I’m certainly not aware of that».
In a Sunday Times column, Lawson claimed that Mr Johnson was «warned, at the time, that going forward with the party, pedestal tables and everything, was in clear violation of prevailing regulations».
“I spoke to a former Downing Street official who said that at least two people told the Prime Minister, after seeing the email invitation from his chief private secretary, Martin Reynolds, that this was a ‘party’ and it should be canceled immediately.
«I was told Johnson’s dismissive response was to say they were ‘overreacting’ and to praise Reynolds as my ‘loyal Labrador’.
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