BORIS Johnson is to swerve questions on the latest row over a Downing Street party, sending a minister to answer to MPs instead.
The Prime Minister is facing huge criticism after emails emerged yesterday showing one of his most senior officials inviting people to a "socially distanced" drinks in the Downing Street garden at the height of lockdown.
Labour's Angela Rayner has secured an urgent question in the Commons at 12.30 today, to quiz the Government on the party.
However it has emerged the Prime Minister will not attend, and instead is sending Paymaster General Michael Ellis.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson blasts Downing Street lockdown party after leaked email
Deputy Labour leader Ms Rayner tweeted: “I really hope Boris Johnson takes this opportunity to answer questions. We all sacrificed so much. We have a right to know.
“If you have a story to share about 20th May 2020 please get in touch.”
The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said if the Prime Minister attended the alleged Downing Street drinks party in May 2020 then his position would be “untenable” and he would have “lost all moral authority to lead the country”.
Members of the group met Mr Johnson last year in the Downing Street garden where the alleged gathering is said to have taken place and said he “looked us in the eyes and told us he had ‘done all he could’ to save our loved ones”.
They said he must “come clean to the country in a way that he didn’t with us”.
Group spokesman Lobby Akinnola, who lost his father Femi in April 2020, said: “It’s beyond belief that the Government seems to be suggesting a report is needed to determine whether Boris Johnson was at the event at all.
“He knows. The dozens of people there know. Why does the Prime Minister need someone to tell him whether or not he was at a party?”
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