Boris Johnson ‘attended Carrie’s Abba party to interview one of her friends for a job’
28 April 2022, 17:41 | Updated: 28 April 2022, 17:52
Boris Johnson has said he did not break the law by attending an Abba-themed party at No10 beacuse he was interviewing one of his wife's best friends for a job, it has been claimed.
The Prime Minister privately admitted he was present during the party, but insists he was carrying out a job interview.
The PM insisted he did not break the law, despite being at the party in the flat he shares with his wife and two children, The Times reports.
Instead, he claimed he was conducting an interview with one of his wife's best friends in another part of the residence.
Henry Newman, who was an aid to Michael Gove at the time, is said to have been invited to the flat by the Prime Minister to be quizzed about a job.
It comes as it was reported that a number of people heard Abba music coming from Downing Street on the same night the PM's former aides Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain were removed from their positions.
The 'Abba-themed' Downing Street party is said to have taken place on November 13, 2020. The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating whether it took place.
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Both the Prime Minister and his wife had previously denied any parties had taken place in their flat.
But, it was named as one of more than a dozen parties mentioned by the initial report by civill servant Sue Gray.
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A more detailed version of the report is due to be published after the Metropolitan Police finishes their investigation.
Former aide Dominic Cummings also claimed a party did take place on that day, and "other flat parties" should be further investigated.
Other government reports went as far to say the party was a 'celebration' for Cummings leaving his position - and the Abba song 'The Winner Takes it All' was allegedly heard.
A spokeswoman for Carrie Johnson dismissed the claims as "total nonsense”, adding: "Mrs Johnson has followed the coronavirus rules at all times and it is categorically untrue to suggest otherwise.”
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The Prime Minister - along with Mrs Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak - have already received one fixed penalty notice of £50 from the Police for attending an illegal party in June 2020.
It is not yet known whether Mr Johnson will receive any further fines for breaching lockdown rules.
But, Mr Johnson previously insisted that he would not step down as a result of the scandal and has suggested that the issue does not matter to voters.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has repeated calls for the PM to resign, arguing that Tory MPs are "sick of defending the indefensible".
Mr Johnson reportedly attended half of the 12 gatherings being probed by police.
However, chairman of the Tory party Oliver Dowden said on Sunday that it was "quite a speculation" to predict he could be hit with more fixed penalty notices as the Met investigation continues.
