Boris Johnson looked close to tears today as he denied lying about Partygate but admitted he was 'deeply sorry' for his 'misjudgements'.
As he desperately tries to defuse explosive claims from Dominic Cummings that he misled Parliament, the PM insisted 'categorically' that 'nobody told me' a 'BYOB' bash in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 was not a work event.
And a weary and miserable Mr Johnson repeatedly ducked saying whether he would resign if a civil service probe finds he did not tell the truth.
At one point as he was confronted with the fact he needed to apologise to the Queen for a No10 leaving do on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral in April last year, the premier bowed his head and breathed heavily, before seemingly composing himself and voicing 'deep regret' for what happened.
Asked if he had lied as he broke cover for the first time in days, Mr Johnson said: 'No. I want to begin by repeating my apologies to everybody for the misjudgments that I've made, that we may have made in No10 and beyond, whether in Downing Street or throughout the pandemic.
'Nobody told me that what we were doing was against the rules, that the event in question was something that … was not a work event, and as I said in the House of Commons when I went out into that garden I thought that I was attending a work event.'
The comments came as Rishi Sunak fuelled speculation about his unhappiness by stalking out of an interview while being grilled about the Partygate furore.
Boris Johnson looked close to tears today as he denied lying about Partygate but admitted he was 'deeply sorry' for his 'misjudgements'
As he desperately tries to defuse explosive claims from Dominic Cummings that he misled Parliament, the PM insisted 'categorically' that 'nobody told me' a 'BYOB' bash in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 was not a work event
Rishi Sunak (right) fuelled speculation about his unhappiness as he stalked out of an interview while being grilled about the Partygate furore and whether he had confidence in Boris Johnson (left)
Pushed on whether he believed the premier's denials that he knew a 'BYOB' gathering in Downing Street in May 2020 was a social event, Mr Sunak said: 'Of course I do.'
But he merely 'referred' people to Mr Johnson's own words when pressed on the details, and challenged on whether Mr Johnson would have to quit if he knowingly misled parliament he said: 'The ministerial code is clear on these matters.'
Mr Johnson has been warned he must prove he is 'house trained' after his former chief aide launched his latest vicious attack.
The claim contradicts the premier's statement to the House of Commons last Wednesday, when he insisted he believed 'implicitly' that the gathering was a work event.
Mail columnist Dominic Lawson has revealed that at least two staff warned Mr Johnson that the event should not go ahead.
For the second week running Downing Street has insisted that there was no discussion of the Partygate row at the regular Cabinet meeting this morning. But Labour said Mr Johnson obviously knew he had reached the 'end of the road'.
Mr Johnson looked in agony as he fielded questions for the first time this week, having isolated due to a close family member testing positive for Covid. And Tory MPs were aghast at his performance, with one simply texting 'FFS'.
'I am deeply sorry for misjudgments that were made. I carry full responsibility for what took place,' Mr Johnson said during the visit to a north London hospital.
'Nobody said to me this is an event that is against the rules, that is in breach of what we're asking everybody else to do, it should not go ahead.
'What I remember is going out into that garden for a short time and for 25 minutes thanking staff who'd worked on Covid, who were continuing to work on Covid, and then going back to office
'If I had my time again, I would not have allowed things to develop in that way.'
Challenged again on whether he had been verbally warned about the gathering in the Downing Street garden, Mr Johnson said: 'I can tell you categorically, categorically, that nobody told me and nobody said that this was something that was against the rules or was a breach of the Covid rules or we were doing something that wasn't a work event because, frankly, I don't think, I can't imagine why on earth it would have gone ahead or why it would have been allowed to go ahead.
'My memory of this event, as I've said, is going out into the garden for about 25 minutes for what I implicitly thought was a work event and talking to staff, thanking staff, I can't remember exactly how many – but for about 25 minutes I was there. I then went back to my office and continued my work.'
He added: 'I do humbly apologise to people for misjudgments that were made. But that is the very, very best of my recollection about this event.'
On whether he will resign if Ms Gray sets out a different picture, Mr Johnson said: 'We'll have to see what she says. I think that she should be given the space to get on and conclude her inquiry.
'I would urge everybody who has knowledge of this, memories of this, to tell her what they know.
'Let's see what the report says.'
'As far as they are concerned it looks like one rule for us and another for everyone else.'
Writing on his Substack blog last night, Mr Cummings suggested that worse might still be to come for No10.
Mr Cummings (left) said he and 'other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time would swear under oath this is what happened'. Lord Hague (right) mocked the 'Prime Spaniel' saying Mr Johnson needs to show he is 'house trained'
Tory chair Oliver Dowden (left) and Mr Raab were in Downing Street today for the weekly Cabinet meeting
Mr Cummings suggested in a post on his Substack blog on Monday, that worse might still be to come for No10
Mr Sunak said in his clip shortly before: 'The Prime Minister set out his understanding of this matter last week in Parliament. I refer you to his words.
'Sue Gray is conducting an inquiry into this matter and I fully support the Prime Minister's requests for patience while that concludes.'
Asked if the Prime Minister should resign if he lied to Parliament, Mr Sunak said: 'I am not going to get into hypotheticals, the ministerial code is clear on these matters.'
Unrest on the Conservative benches is ramping up after a shock poll laid bare the damage being done by the scandal, putting Labour 13 points ahead.
Tory ex-leader Lord Hague ridiculed Mr Johnson as the 'Prime Spaniel' in a column today, saying he must show he is 'fully house-trained' to save himself. He cautioned that the premier would be in a 'lonely category of his own' if he is ousted from power over 'standards of probity'.
'There will be a temptation to make 'Operation Save Big Dog' about sacking some staff and reannouncing some policies,' the peer wrote in the Times. 'A respected culture of disciplined teamwork, however, starts with the Prime Spaniel showing he is fully house-trained and leading the whole kennels.
'We are about to discover whether Johnson is able to do that, and be quick enough about it to remain in power.'
Downing Street again denied today that Mr Johnson had lied to Parliament.
The PM's official spokesman said: 'You have seen us say repeatedly that it is untrue that the Prime Minister was warned about the event (on May 20, 2020) in advance and you have got the Prime Minister's statement to the House.'
On whether Mr Johnson will quit if he misled Parliament, the spokesman said: 'The guidance is clear, the ministerial code is very clear on this point when it comes to knowingly misleading the House and the Prime Minister abides by that, and we fully support it.'
The spokesman added it was important not to 'jump ahead' and conflate what was in the ministerial code with 'what the investigation may or may not conclude or set out'.
Pressed on whether the Prime Minister had ever lied to the House, the spokesman said: 'No.'
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: 'Boris Johnson clearly knows it's the end of the road.
'He's the Prime Minister, he set the rules, he didn't need anyone to tell him that the party he attended broke them.
'If he had any respect for the British public, he would do the decent thing and resign.'
In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Johnson's deputy Dominic Raab branded the latest allegations from Mr Cummings 'nonsense'. He insisted he is 'confident' the PM had been 'straightforward' with the Commons, and urged people to wait for the results of the probe by top civil servant Sue Gray.
Pushed on whether Mr Johnson should resign if he had 'knowingly misled' MPs, Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast: 'I think the ministerial code should be followed at all times.'
Asked again if a minister must resign if they lie to Parliament and fail to correct themselves, Mr Raab said: 'Yes.'
However, on Mr Johnson's future Mr Raab said: 'I'm confident he will carry on for many years and into the next election.' He told Times Radio: 'The suggestion that he lied is nonsense.'
Two of Mr Johnson's ministers have added their voices to criticism, bemoaning the impact on public trust in the government.
Science minister George Freeman said he was 'shocked and flabbergasted' by the revelations, and questioned why staff were able to enjoy such gatherings while his constituents 'couldn't see dying loved ones'.
Similarly, health minister Maria Caulfield insisted that regardless of whether the rules were 'technically' breached or not by the parties, 'the spirit of the rules' was. She added that she would 'consider what action is needed' when Ms Gray's report into the events is published.
Former minister Desmond Swayne warned that the investigation by Ms Gray cannot be a 'get out of jail free card' by focusing on the precise legal definition of lockdown breaches.
'If this does indeed turn out to be the Monopoly 'get out of jail free card', I fear it just won't wash because the distinction between regulation and guidance was never clear in the minds of the public in the first place,' Sir Desmond said.
The row escalated again after Mr Cummings suggested in a post on his Substack blog yesterday that worse might still be to come for No10.
'Amid discussion over the future of the Cabinet Secretary (Simon Case) and PPS (Reynolds) himself, which had been going on for days, I said to the PM something like: ''Martin's invited the building to a drinks party, this is what I'm talking about, you've got to grip this madhouse'',' he wrote.
'The PM waved it aside. I had told him repeatedly the PPS should be replaced, as had other competent officials who knew the whole structure needed a huge upgrade in personnel and management.'
He added: 'Not only me but other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time would swear under oath this is what happened.'
Downing Street has denied the claims, with a spokesman saying: 'It is untrue that the Prime Minister was warned about the event in advance.
'As he said earlier this week he believed implicitly that this was a work event.
'He has apologised to the House and is committed to making a further statement once the investigation concludes.'
A survey by Redfield and Wilton Strategies conducted yesterday showed Labour on 43 per cent, up four in a week, while the Tories were on 30 per cent, down five.
At the same time Mr Cummings, who was ousted in late 2020 after losing a Downing Street power struggle, sent an ominous warning to the PM that there could be more trouble to come.
He wrote: 'There are many other photos of parties after I left yet to appear. I'll say more when SG's report is published.'
Mr Johnson was forced to apologise last week after it emerged his principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds invited more than 100 members of staff to a 'bring your own booze' bash in the No 10 garden in May 2020 during the first lockdown.
The PM admitted he attended for 25 minutes to 'thank' staff, but argued he believed it was a work event and could 'technically' have been within the rules.
There were claims aides used a suitcase on wheels to go out and pick up booze for the gathering from a nearby shop.
The PM is now believed to have been grilled by top civil servant Sue Gray, who could deliver her report on the bewildering array of allegations about lockdown breaches in Whitehall within days - although it might not come until next week.
The government has been mobilising a huge effort to rescue Mr Johnson, with crowd-pleasing announcements on bringing in the military to tackle the Channel migrant crisis and reforming the BBC.
There is also speculation that he is ready to jettison some of his most senior aides and ban alcohol in Downing Street in order to shore up his premiership.
Asked if the Prime Minister should resign if he misled Parliament, Mr Raab told Sky News: 'I'm not going to speculate on hypotheticals. I'm confident he's been straightforward with the House of Commons.'
Pressed about Mr Cummings' claims, Mr Raab said: 'The PM has been very clear that that's not true or accurate.'
Mr Raab also briefly got tangled up as he denied that the 'BYOB' bash was held to thank him for filling in while the PM was ill with Covid.
'There was speculation that the May 20 party was held in my honour to thank me, it's just ridiculous,' he said.
Presenter Kay Burley broke in to say: 'So it was a party!'
But Mr Raab hastily corrected himself insisting 'no, no, no'. 'This is the claim that was made, it was nonsense, I wasn't invited and I didn't attend,' he said.
MPs have returned from their constituencies reporting a beasting from voters on the doorstep and in mailbags.
Writing on his blog, Sir Desmond said he had received 'huge correspondence' on the issue. He pointed out he voted against most of the regulations.
'The principal difficulty was confusion between what was regulation and what was only guidance. This even confused police officers, with people being told to stop doing things which, in fact, they were entitled to do,' he wrote.
'I rather think that Sue Gray's inquiry into parties in Downing Street will focus on this distinction between regulation and guidance and, in particular, the fact that Number 10 is a place of work and not a dwelling, where the rules were quite different.
If this does indeed turn out to be the Monopoly 'get out of jail free card', I fear it just won't wash because the distinction between regulation and guidance was never clear in the minds of the public in the first place.
'As far as they are concerned it looks like one rule for us and another for everyone else.
Sir Desmond also warned: 'A significant danger for the PM, were he to be exonerated by Sue Gray's inquiry, is that some new allegation then hits the headlines.'
One Northern MP told MailOnline yesterday that the response from voters was 'terrible', and even worse than during the notorious Barnard Castle row involving Dominic Cummings.
'It's worse because he was breaking the rules that he himself made and told everyone to obey. He can relaunch, hide behind reports, do what he wants. The public have made their minds up,' the Tory MP said.
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