PM’s top official fights for his job over new Number 10 party claims
‘Is this for real?’: How ‘horrified’ Downing Street staff reacted with disbelief to invite from PM’s top aide ‘Party Marty’ Martin Reynolds to ‘mass gathering’ at height of first lockdown as PM’s most senior civil fights for job
Martin Reynolds is Boris Johnson’s principal private secretary at Number 10Mr Reynolds reportedly invited more than 100 staff to ‘socially distanced drinks’Alleged May 20, 2020, event took place when England faced tough Covid rulesSome Number 10 staff reacted with horror to the invite and asked ‘is this for real’
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One of Boris Johnson‘s most senior Number 10 aides is fighting for his job after it emerged Downing Street staff reacted with horror to him inviting them to ‘socially distanced drinks’ when England was subject to strict Covid rules.
Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary, reportedly invited more than 100 Downing Street staff to an event in the Number 10 garden on May 20, 2020.
An email obtained by ITV News showed he had invited staff to ‘make the most of the lovely weather’ and to ‘bring your own booze’.
Messages shown to the BBC revealed that some Number 10 employees were shocked by the invite.
One staff member who received the email wrote a message to another official at the time in which they said ‘is this for real?’.
Another similar message, seen by the BBC, stated: ‘Um. Why is Martin encouraging a mass gathering in the garden?’
England was under tough coronavirus restrictions banning groups from meeting socially outdoors when the email was sent.
The Metropolitan Police Service has confirmed it is ‘in contact with the Cabinet Office’ about the latest Number 10 ‘party’ claims.
Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary, reportedly invited more than 100 Downing Street staff to an event in the Number 10 garden on May 20, 2020
An email obtained by ITV News showed he had invited staff to ‘make the most of the lovely weather’ and to ‘bring your own booze’
Mr Reynolds was also photographed alongside Mr Johnson at a ‘cheese and wine’ gathering in the Number 10 garden on May 15, 2020
The claim of a ‘socially distanced drinks’ event being held in the Number 10 garden on May 20, 2020, was initially made by Dominic Cummings in a blog post published last week.
ITV News then published the email from Mr Reynolds last night, with the broadcaster reporting that approximately 40 staff had gathered in the garden on that evening.
According to ITV, Mr Reynolds’ email to more than 100 Downing Street employees said: ‘Hi all, After what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!’
Multiple reports have suggested the Prime Minister attended the event with his wife, Carrie Johnson.
The Conservative Party leader sidestepped questions yesterday about whether he attended the evening gathering allegedly organised by Mr Reynolds.
Sue Gray, a senior Cabinet Office official, is currently conducting a probe into a variety of allegations of rule-busting events in Whitehall during the pandemic, centred on an alleged Christmas ‘party’ in Number 10 on December 18, 2020.
Number 10 said yesterday it would not be commenting on the May 20, 2020, claims while Ms Gray carries out her inquiry.
However, there is mounting pressure on Mr Johnson as the leaked email has reignited a furious political row over alleged rule-breaking.
There are now growing questions over Mr Reynolds’ future after Downing Street yesterday denied reports that he is to be moved to another post following the claims.
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman told reporters yesterday morning – before the email was published yesterday evening – that Mr Reynolds was staying in his current role.
The spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister has full confidence in his team. There is no change in that post.’
Mr Reynolds was also photographed alongside Mr Johnson at a ‘cheese and wine’ gathering in the Number 10 garden on May 15, 2020.
Downing Street has insisted that event was work-related and no rules were broken.
Some Government sources believe the leaked email will prompt Mr Reynolds’ exit from Number 10.
One source told The Telegraph: ‘He’s not a popular guy with officials. He has let down a lot of people.
‘Loads of people at the time, including junior people, said it was a mad idea.’
Another source said the invite was ‘ludicrous’ and ‘only a third’ of those invited ‘turned up’.
Mr Reynolds was appointed to the role of principal private secretary to the Prime Minister in October 2019.
He previously served as the Government’s ambassador to Libya and was the principal private secretary to the Foreign Secretary from December 2014 to January 2018.
He was the deputy high commissioner in Pretoria between 2011 and 2014 and has also worked in other roles in London, Brussels and Singapore.
Before he joined the Foreign Office he worked as a City lawyer.
The PM’s spokesman yesterday also refused to be drawn on reports that Mr Johnson had attended the May 20 event.
He said: ‘There is an independent process going on to look into this, led by Sue Gray, and I can’t comment further while that is taking place.’
Labour is now calling on Mr Johnson to ‘come clean’ and to ‘stop hiding behind’ a Cabinet Office inquiry into allegations of rule-busting gatherings in Whitehall
The-then culture secretary Oliver Dowden used a Downing Street press conference on May 20, 2020, to remind the public they could ‘meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor, public place provided that you stay two metres apart’.
Labour is now calling on Mr Johnson to ‘come clean’ and to ‘stop hiding behind’ Ms Gray’s inquiry.
Angela Rayner, deputy Labour leader, said: ‘Boris Johnson’s deflections and distractions are no longer tenable.
‘Sue Gray is a highly respected civil servant who will be carrying out an investigation to the highest standard.
‘But the truth is out now. Not only did Boris Johnson know about the parties, he attended them and he lied.
‘It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop hiding behind Whitehall inquiries and finally come clean.’
