The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, is now facing additional anger from parliament and the British public after it was revealed on Monday, 24 January, that his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, organised a surprise birthday party for him on 19th June 2020, when the whole country was locked down due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time of the surprise birthday party, the lockdown rules were such that indoor gatherings and household mixing were completely banned, and outdoor gatherings were limited to only six people.
This exposé, reported by ITV, comes in the backdrop of earlier revelations which placed the prime minister at the centre of a huge controversy vis-à-vis a drinks party that was hosted in Downing Street during the first lockdown.
Johnson apologised about the party two weeks ago during a session of Prime Minister's Questions, as leader of the opposition Kier Starmer (of the Labour Party) demanded that the prime minister resign for misleading parliament, and for breaking the rules his own government had set for the whole country.
Additionally, an official inquiry led by senior civil servant Sue Gray has reportedly uncovered "appalling evidence of mismanagement" in Downing Street's intra-social interactions.
The Gray report is expected to arrive at extremely critical conclusions on the lockdown parties at Downing Street and the prime minister's failure in leading the country's response to the pandemic that has taken thousands of British lives.
While Johnson did not resign after his colleagues demanded it two weeks ago, he has said that he will do what is appropriate based on the findings of the Gray report, which is expected to be out by this week.
(With inputs from ITV)
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