Melton MP blasts drinks party allegations as ‘totally unacceptable’

Alicia Kearns said she felt ‘let down’ by what was said to have gone on back in May 2020 when around 40 government employees gathered in the garden despite there being a limit in place of being able to see just one person outdoors.

Her comments were made on her Facebook page before yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons, at which Boris Johnson apologised and admitted he had been there for around half-an-hour before returning to work.

On the issue of the drinks party in the garden of Number 10 when large gatherings were banned outdoors to prevent further spread of coronavirus, Mrs Kearns posted: “I know that residents feel let down, and angry at these latest allegations. I feel the same.”

She said she was expecting the Prime Minister to admit whether he was there or not because she had not had chance to speak to him about it.

And she added in the post: “Residents will be unsurprised by my position that lawmakers should not be lawbreakers, and the Party is well aware of my views on the totally unacceptable allegations, particularly from a time when I know how very difficult the restrictions on our lives were for all of us.”

The Melton Times has approached Mrs Kearns for a comment on whether she was satisifed with Mr Johnson’s words in the Commons and whether she still has confidence in him as Prime Minister and we are awaiting a response.

Ironically, just nine days before the alleged drinks party took place back in May 2020, Mrs Kearns spoke to the Prime Minister during PMQs to flag up concerns of her constituents about people flouting the social distancing rules.

She asked him about a mooted increase in fines for offenders and he confirmed they would rise from £60 to £100.

When we reported this at the time, latest figures showed 230 fixed notice penalties had been issued by police officers across Leicestershire and Rutland to people who had not complied with limits on the number of people they could meet up with under government Covid restrictions in England.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray is conducting an independent investigation into the alleged drinks party and a number of other social events organised by government staff during a time of strict pandemic social distancing restrictions.

***What do you think? Did you feel let down by the allegations and do you think the Prime Minister should resign as a result? Or were you happy with his apology yesterday and do you think he should continue in the role? Email [email protected] and we will use the best comments in next week’s Melton Times.