Isabel Oakeshott: Can Boris Johnson survive as PM after scandal of at least 12 Downing Street parties?

Isabel Oakeshott
Isabel Oakeshott
Samantha Haynes

By Samantha Haynes


Published: 14/01/2022

- 12:13

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:55

'We seem to be moving from the pandemic to the endemic phase of Number 10 parties'

Well it’s another week of "will Boris Johnson survive" following yet more revelations of Downing St lockdown breaking.

As someone clever on social media said, we seem to be moving from the pandemic to the endemic phase of Number 10 parties, and we are now at the stage where most ordinary people have lost count of how many rule busting staff leaving parties, Christmas celebrations and ‘thank you for all your hard work’ drinks took place.


Let me help out – I think it's at least a dozen, and that’s just the ones we know of.

We’ve got Cheese and wine in the garden; Bring your own booze; Valued colleague leaving drinks; Carrie Johnson's flat party, Drinks in the Treasury; Leaving drinks for a Downing St aide called Cleo Watson, Department of Education drinks (Gavin Williamson); Tory Mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey’s staff party, a Downing Street quiz, a Department of Transport party, a Cabinet Office Christmas party; a what the hell, we might as well, casual drinks after work party.

Now we learn that they were partying on the eve of Prince Philips’ funeral.

Can the Prime Minister possibly survive?

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