'Incriminating' photos exist of Boris Johnson at No10 parties, Dominic Cummings says

1 February 2022, 20:19

Dominic Cummings has claimed there are "incriminating" photographs of Boris Johnson at reported gatherings - including a party in the Prime Minister's Downing Street flat - which are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

Mr Johnson's former chief aide has accused the beleaguered Prime Minister of "lying" about his appearance at Downing Street parties following the publication of the highly watered-down Sue Gray "update" on Monday.

In a question and answer session on his paid-for blog, Mr Cummings was asked if there were photos that would "incriminate" the Prime Minister.

He said: "Yes there are photos of the PM at parties under investigation. I've spoken to people who say they've seen photos of parties in the flat."

He also claimed he had spoken to people who were in No10 on November 13 2020, when there was an alleged gathering in Mr Johnson's Downing Street flat.

He said: "I've talked to people who were in No10 on 13/11 who could hear the party in No10 after I'd left - the press office is below the flat.

Read more: Boris will be outed if fined for breaching Covid rules, Downing Street says

Read more: 'How dare he?': Jimmy Savile victim tells LBC she was furious over Boris remarks

James O'Brien reacts to Boris Johnson's partygate Commons performance

"If cops talk to people there that night, there'll be witnesses who say 'we could all hear a party with Abba playing'."

Mr Cummings said this could "blow up terminally" for the Prime Minister if he "lies to the cops".

"He won't be able to help himself other than say 'I don't remember' which is his default when he senses danger," Mr Cummings said.

He also said the chances of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss becoming Tory leader are "probably being overrated", that he thought Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove "probably will" run again.

On Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, he said: "He has never been in Cabinet and it is hard to imagine Tory MPs promoting someone straight to the top job who has not been in Cabinet."

He said: "RS [Rishi Sunak] is obviously the front runner cos he's way ahead in the polls and unlike Truss/Hunt/TT was pro-Brexit."

Read more: Iain Dale: 'What I saw today was a Prime Minister who I can't be proud of'

Raab hints the full partygate report may never be published

His comments come as Downing Street confirmed the public will be told if Boris Johnson faces a fine over the Partygate scandal.

It was suggested earlier that the information might not be disclosed, with No10 saying it was a matter for the Metropolitan Police.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman later added: "Obviously we are aware of the significant public interest with regard to the Prime Minister and we would always look to provide what updates we can on him, specifically."

Asked if that meant No10 would say if he was given a fixed penalty notice, the spokesman said: "Hypothetically, yes."

The damning report by Sue Gray found "failures of leadership" at No10 and the Cabinet Office in the Partygate scandal.

Former adviser to Boris Johnson speaks to LBC on partygate

The civil servant hit out at how a number of gatherings during England's Covid restrictions were allowed to develop, which she said should not have been allowed.

Her team handed over more than 300 pictures to the Metropolitan Police and over 500 pages of information, with detectives set to probe eight dates of alleged breaches.

These include events alleged to have taken part on 20 May 2020; 18 June 2020; 19 June 2020; 13 November 2020; 17 December 2020; 18 December 2020; 14 January 2021; and 16 April 2021.

Boris Johnson is facing a police investigation over at least four lockdown parties he was directly involved in.