Dominic Cummings and Matt Hancock 'pictured in No10 garden photo'

21 December 2021, 09:48 | Updated: 4 January 2022, 12:29

Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings were among the staff members pictured at a Downing Street "garden party" in May last year, it has been claimed.

A photograph obtained by the Guardian shows the Prime Minister, his wife Carrie and up to 17 staff in the garden of Number 10, with cheese and wine.

It is now being suggested that then Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the PM's former aide Dominic Cummings were among the staff in the picture.

Mr Johnson is pictured at a table with wife Carrie and two other people who do not appear to be two metres away – which was the social distancing guidance at the time.

On the table are bottles of wine and a cheeseboard.

Meanwhile, four other members of staff are sat around a second table on the opposite end of the terrace. Nine people are then gathered on the grass, with another two sat on the floor to the right.

The photograph also appeared to include the Prime Minister's principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, his private secretary Imran Shafi, his official spokesperson James Slack and his former Chief Press Officer on Foreign Affairs Jess Seldon.

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According the The Guardian, the picture was taken on May 15 after a press conference was held by then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock: when social mixing between different households was limited to two people.

Mr Cummings is sitting at a table in the foreground not far from the PM, and Mr Hancock is standing on the grass with his back to the camera, according to the Telegraph.

Speaking to LBC yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab defended the photograph saying: "The reality is Number 10 is a place of work, including the garden."

Explaining the scene, Mr Raab said the image was taken after the Prime Minister's Covid press conference and having "something to drink" in the garden was "consistent with the rules."

It is the ninth alleged Tory Party to have taken place during coronavirus restrictions last year.

Some aides reportedly carried on drinking into the evening, although there was no suggestion Mr Johnson or Mr Hancock had any alcohol or stayed late.

A No 10 spokesman said: "In the summer months Downing Street staff regularly use the garden for some meetings.

"On May 15 2020 the Prime Minister held a series of meetings throughout the afternoon, including briefly with the then health and care secretary and his team in the garden following a press conference.

"The Prime Minister went to his residence shortly after 7pm.

"A small number of staff required to be in work remained in the Downing Street garden for part of the afternoon and evening."

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Asked why the Prime Minister's wife was there, the spokesman said: "Downing Street is also a private residence for both the Prime Minister and Chancellor.

"The Prime Minister's wife has use of her garden. It is effectively her garden."

The Prime Minister defended the gathering, saying: "This is where I live, this is where I work; Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work."

It comes just days after Cabinet Secretary Simon Case "recused himself" from leading an investigation into alleged parties held across Whitehall after reports that an events was held in his own department.

The investigation is set to look into the alleged Downing Street bash on December 18 as well as an event at the Department for Education's (DfE) Whitehall headquarters on December 10 last year, and a reported leaving do for a No 10 aide – allegedly attended by Boris Johnson – on November 27.

The Metropolitan Police also confirmed they will speak to two people over "alleged breaches" of Covid regulations after revelations emerged that campaign staff held a party at the Conservative Party HQ.