Timeline of Partygate: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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[[File:Sue Gray report Fig 4.jpg|thumb|The [[Partygate]] scandal contributed to the fall of the [[premiership of Boris Johnson]] ''(right)''.<ref name=Marshall/><ref name=Mitchell/>|alt=Colour photograph of Boris Johnson, Simon Case and unidentified others with their faces blurred at a surprise birthday party for Johnson, at a time when such gatherings were against the law.]]

[[Partygate]] was a [[political scandal]] in the United Kingdom about gatherings of [[Government of the United Kingdom|government]] and [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] staff during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020 and 2021, at a time when such events were prohibited by [[British government response to the COVID-19 pandemic|public health restrictions]]. The first [[COVID-19]] death in the UK occurred on 5 March 2020; 18 days later, the death toll reached 335. As a result, Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] announced that the UK would go into a full [[COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom|lockdown]], with new restrictions on gathering socially with people from different households. As the pandemic continued, the rules for socialising evolved: on 16 September, the government introduced a new "[[rule of six]]" in England, whereby groups of more than six people were banned from meeting, and, the following month, Johnson unveiled new [[First COVID-19 tier regulations in England|"three-tier" regulations]], with London being placed in the "medium" tier &nbsp;1 restrictions. Lockdown rules continued in England until 19 July 2021, at which point almost all of them were lifted.

Despite these new regulations, social gatherings continued to take place in [[Downing Street]] and [[Whitehall]] "most Fridays",<ref name=Hughes/> including some that were attended by the Prime Minister himself. In May, both a [[cheese and wine]] party and a [[bring your own beer]] (BYOB) event were held in the Downing Street garden. On Johnson's 56th birthday in June, a surprise party was thrown for him in the [[Cabinet Office]], with a second party in his flat later that evening. In December, various Christmas parties were thrown, including one in the Downing Street Press Office on 18 December that involved a [[Secret Santa]] and an awards ceremony. Two [[wikt:leaving do|leaving dos]] were held on 16 April 2021, the eve of the [[funeral of Prince Philip]].

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**Johnson's wife [[Carrie Johnson|Carrie]] holds a second birthday gathering for her husband in their Downing Street flat that evening, with a number of friends.<ref name=Yorke/>

*14 September: To restrict a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the UK, the government restricts social gatherings again by implementing a new "rule of six" in England – groups of more than six people are banned from meeting in England, either indoors or outdoors.<ref name="Quinn 1"/>

*12 October: With the number of COVID-19 cases having quadrupled in three weeks, Johnson unveils new [[First COVID-19 tier regulations in England|"three-tier" regulations]]. London is placed in the "medium" tier&nbsp;1 restrictions, which includes the rule of six.<ref name=Heffer/>

*17 October: London is moved into the "high" tier&nbsp;2 restrictions. People living in London are banned from mixing indoors with those from other households.<ref name=Taylor/>

*31 October: Johnson announces that the UK will go into a second nationwide lockdown from 5 November. It will last four weeks, with household mixing banned across England.<ref name=Blackall/>