BBC News 20 December 2021
A photo of Boris Johnson, his wife and 17 staff members in the Downing Street garden with bottles of wine and a cheese board shows them having a "work meeting", No 10 has said.
The Guardian, which published the image, says the gathering took place in May 2020, after a press conference held during the first lockdown.
At the time, there were strict restrictions on mixing.
But Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves accused the government of repeated "law-breaking" over social gatherings, telling the BBC: "People are sick of it."
An investigation is currently taking place into a number of alleged parties within Downing Street in November and December last year.
The 15 May photograph shows a gathering of staff in the Downing Street garden following a news conference held by then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock, according to the Guardian.
At that time, gatherings of more than two people were banned in outdoor public places in England. However, because the picture appears to show a private garden, that restriction would not apply.
Later on in the pandemic, gatherings were banned in private gardens too.
At the time the photo was taken, people were allowed to go out to work if it was not possible to work from home.
But the social distancing rules stated that people from different households had to stay two metres apart if possible.
A No 10 spokesman said: "Work meetings often take place in the Downing Street garden in the summer months.
"On this occasion there were staff meetings following a No 10 press conference."
They added: "Downing Street is the prime minister's home as well as his workplace. The prime minister's wife lives in No 10 and therefore also legitimately uses the garden."
But Ms Reeves told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I do think there is evidence of law-breaking, not just on this occasion, but on multiple occasions. The country is sick of it.
"They want to see leadership from this prime minister and government, and at the moment they're hiding last year they were having a party."
The SNP's deputy Westminster leader, Kirsten Oswald, called for a "judge-led inquiry" to determine what happened.
The Guardian pointed out that, in the news conference on the same day as the photo, Mr Hancock had warned the public to stick to social distancing rules, despite the warm weather.
A spokesman for Mr Hancock said he had left the building at 18:30 GMT, after speaking to Mr Johnson in the garden, adding: "There is no suggestion that Mr Hancock did anything wrong."
Defending the gathering, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told BBC Breakfast: "If you think how hard they are working under the pressure of the week, they sometimes have a drink, and that's what's happening there."
He added that the risk of coronavirus transmission had been lower "because they were outdoors", saying: "It's clear it wasn't against regulations... this is a workplace, and what we can see is consistent with the rules that applied to workplaces."
Mr Raab also told BBC Radio 4's Today he believed "someone with an animus" had been leaking details of goings-on in Downing Street last year to the media in order to "damage the government".
Senior civil servant Sue Gray has been tasked with completing the review into a number of alleged gatherings inside government buildings in November and December 2020 - against rules at the time.
She replaced Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who stepped down from the review after it was revealed he had known about a quiz held in his office.
The government Christmas parties of 2020
13 November 2020: Sources have told the BBC there were impromptu drinks to mark the exit of the former director of communications at No 10, Lee Cain - but it was staff having drinks at their desks and was over by 20:30 GMT.
13 November 2020: Also the date Dominic Cummings left as chief adviser to the PM. Sources told the BBC that several Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where the prime minister and his wife live above No 11 after exits. A source said music was blaring and could be heard elsewhere in the building. But others said to be at the party denied it took place, as did a spokeswoman for Mrs Johnson.
25 November 2020: The Times reported Treasury officials held a drinks party in their office to celebrate Chancellor Rishi Sunak's spending review during the lockdown. The newspaper said two dozen civil servants were understood to have attended the event. But a spokesman for the department insisted it was an "impromptu" event, with a "small number" of staff who celebrated around their desks.
27 November 2020: Another No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, left Downing Street marked by an event. Again, sources said it was not formally organised, but people were having drinks and Mr Johnson made a speech.
10 December 2020: The Department for Education has confirmed it had a gathering in the office to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. Drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
14 December 2020: The Conservatives have confirmed a report in the Times that there was an "unauthorised social gathering" in the basement of their party's building, held by the team of the London mayoral candidate at the time, Shaun Bailey. It was described as "raucous", with No 10 aides
15 December 2020: Multiple sources told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff in the Cabinet Office, with invites sent out in advance via email, telling people to form teams of six. Downing Street have said it was a "virtual gathering" but while some joined in that way, sources said there were groups in the room sat in their teams. This is the event the Sunday Mirror released a picture of the PM attending virtually.
17 December 2020: The BBC understands a quiz was held for members of Cabinet Secretary Case's private office, and invitations were sent out beforehand titled "Christmas Party!" About 15 people were invited to the gathering at 70 Whitehall, near Downing Street, although it is understood not everyone turned up.
18 December 2020: A Downing Street Christmas party took place on this date, as first reported by the Mirror. A source told the BBC there was food, drinks and games at the gathering that went on past midnight.
DWP gatherings: The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed a "core team" of staff drank alcohol and ate takeaways "on a number of occasions" whilst working late in the office while Covid restrictions were in place. It followed a report in the Sunday Mirror alleging political staff and officials working for minister Therese Coffey frequently drank after work until the early hours of the morning.
