Boris Johnson 'cannot run and he cannot hide' from Downing Street drinks party scandal says Ed Miliband

Boris Johnson “cannot run and he cannot hide” from claims an aide organised a “bring your own booze” Downing Street drinks party during the first lockdown, Labour’s Ed Miliband has said.

The shadow climate change and net zero secretary described the revelations as “incredibly damning” and called on the Prime Minister to explain whether he was at the party.

Police are in contact with the Cabinet Office regarding the claim that a senior aide to the Prime Minister organised the party in the garden behind No 10 during England’s first lockdown in May 2020.

Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The reason this is so damning is because it was an organised party, no ifs and no buts, because it was clearly the most flagrant violation of the rules.

“It was on the day that the cabinet minister Oliver Dowden said we were only allowed to meet one person outdoors, those were the rules in place. And, crucially, Number 10 has not denied that the Prime Minister was at the party.

“Now, it’s all very well that we are having Sue Gray’s inquiry, but the Prime Minister cannot run and he cannot hide. He’s got to answer. If I went to a party, I know I went to the party. He’s got to explain – was he at the party?

“How can he possibly justify all of the things he said in the House of Commons – that no rules were broken, that he did nothing wrong? He is going to have to answer.”

He added: “It speaks to a rotten culture at the heart of this Government and the rotten culture begins with the person in charge.”