When in doubt Grant Shapps will always confirm that the government doesn’t know what it is doing.
This time he claimed that the PM wasn’t partying when he was snapped raising a drink at a boozy gathering.
Shapps claimed that the Prime Minister “lost his mum during the period”, despite the fact Charlotte Johnson Wahl died “suddenly” 10 months after the party happened.
Asked if Mr Johnson misled Parliament, he told Sky News: “The question was was he down there partying – no, clearly not.
“He’d gone by to say thanks and raise a glass to a colleague who was leaving.” He added Boris Johnson had his ministerial red box on the chair next to him – so was “probably” on his way to do some work.
Context
Shapps said: “I don’t think these things should have happened, but I think it’s probably worth recalling in context that throughout this period the Prime Minister himself had been extremely ill, had a close brush with coronavirus, he lost his mum during the period, he was dealing with the pandemic.
“By the looks of things he goes and thanks somebody who’s leaving, he raises his glass to them.
“And as I say, I – having like everyone in this country lived through coronavirus and in many cases made enormous sacrifices – don’t enjoy seeing pictures that suggest anything else.
However, there was a quick denial of Shapp’s comments, sources stress Grant Shapps was talking about the period of the Covid pandemic more generally, and not trying to suggest Boris Johnson was mourning his mother during the party itself.
Take from that what you will.
Reactions
A Shapps own goal? It’s not the first time, by a long way:
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Related: Watch: Flashback to PM telling house there was no party on Nov 13th goes viral again