Oliver Dowden breaks silence on reports of No 10 lockdown parties

Mr Dowden has finally shared his thoughts on recent reports of multiple lockdown parties happening at No 10, after dodging the topic when he was approached by the Watford Observer earlier in the week.

He now admitted there were “failings” in No 10, but he denied it was a resigning matter for Boris Johnson.

Mr Dowden said the Government plans to “address the kind of culture that has allowed” the reported flouting of coronavirus laws to happen, in a hint of a shake-up at the top of Mr Johnson’s administration.

Oliver Dowden was interviewed by host Sophie Raworth Credit: PA

Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme, Mr Dowden said: “I can assure you the Prime Minister is both very contrite and deeply apologetic for what happened.

“But, more importantly, he is determined to make sure that this can’t be allowed to happen and that we address the underlying culture in Downing Street.

“There were failings: we should have done better, much, much better. We need to up our game, and that needs to be addressed, and I know the Prime Minister is committed to addressing that.”

READ MORE: MPs dodge saying whether PM should resign after 'bring booze' party

Mr Dowden also told Trevor Phillips On Sunday he was “disgusted” by parties held in No 10 before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.

“It shouldn’t have happened and it was wrong, they’ve already apologised for doing so, it was just wrong and shouldn’t have happened,” he said.

Watford’s MP, Dean Russell, was the only local MP to respond to the Observer about Mr Johnson attending a “bring your own booze” gathering in Downing Street’s garden on May 20, 2020.

However he avoiding expressing whether Mr Johnson should resign, and instead he understands why people are “angry and disappointed” and stated that the Prime Minister “quite rightly apologised unreservedly”.