Thread by @Peston

.⁦@Dominic2306⁩ says there was a rule breaking drinks party in Downing St on 20 May 2020 (not the garden drinks that have been reported) and that there is a confirmatory email trail. A new alleged partygate scandal for Sue Gray to investigate

And here is @Dominic2306 detail about the alleged 20 May party. He explains that he however encouraged Downing St staff to work in the garden, and that is the background to the 15 May Guardian photo

Cummings also criticises the PM for failing to prioritise the manufacture and distribution of antivirals, against his advice, which would he says have significantly reduced Covid hospitalisation rates. Full Cummings blog here dominiccummings.substack.com/p/parties-phot…

And Cummings says that on the day he left Downing St, 13 Nov 2020, “there was a party in the PM’s flat…and staff in the press office said they could hear the music playing loudly”.

Two sources tell me Cummings’s “senior official” who sent the invitation to “socially distanced drinks” on 20 May was the PM’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds. Very easy for Sue Gray to follow this trail and adjudicate whether the drinks was appropriate

A Downing St source: “I remember various people saying to him [Reynolds] ‘are you mad?’”

Apparently there are WhatsApp messages by junior Downing St staff questioning why the PM’s PPS would organise a drinks while UK in lockdown.

I have had confirmation that cabinet office second permanent secretary Sue Gray will investigate the “gatherings” on 15 and 20 June 2020 (the latter being the alleged rule breaking party disclosed today by @Dominic2306) as part of her Partygate probe

CORRECTION: I mean 15 and 20 May 2020 (during lockdown)