prime minister s private secretary, martin reynolds, to around 100 staff told to bring their own booze. last week the prime minister gave his explanation. i believed implicitly that this was a work event but, mr speaker, with hindsight i should have sent everyone back inside. now, writing online, dominic cummings says on the day of the event itself i said to the pm something like martin has invited the building to a drinks party. you have got to group this madhouse. going on to ride, not only me but other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time would swear under oath that this is what happened. number10, though, happened. number 10, though, says happened. number10, though, says it is untrue that the prime minister was warned about the event in advance. [30 prime minister was warned about the event in advance. the event in advance. do you have confidence the event in advance. do you have confidence in the event in advance. do you have confidence in the - the event in advance.
row this is bbc news. i m david eades. our top stories: back on the practice courts: novak djokovic prepares for the australian tennis open but the country s immigration minister could still revoke his visa. a man in the us becomes the first person to have a heart transplant from a pig, raising hopes of a solution to the shortage of organ donors. borisjohnson refuses to comment on new claims he had a drinks party with dozens of staff during lockdown. and the bad luck, the good luck, the bad luck and the good luck: the story of survival for one pilot in los angeles.
good afternoon. borisjohnson has rejected a claim by his former chief advisor that he was warned in advance about a drinks party in the downing street garden during lockdown in may 2020. dominic cummings has said that he s certain he d told the prime minister minister that it might break covid rules but he claimed mrjohnson waved aside the concerns. mrjohnson also revealed that he s already been interviewed by the inquiry over parties held in downing street. in response, labour have said the pm set the rules he didn t need anyone to tell him that the party he attended broke them. here s our political correspondent helen catt.
said, socially distanced drinks bring your own booze. we well remember where we were at the time. families divided, the elderly locked up in care homes. weddings, funerals cancelled. this afternoon, facing an urgent question from the oppostion, it fell to the paymaster general to issue the governments holding statement. i apologise again, unreservedly, for the upset that these allegations have caused. there is no need for an investigation into the symbol, central questions today. did the prime minister attend the event in the downing street garden on the 20th of may, 2020? so far mrjohnson has refused to give an answer to that key question. was he himself at the party? the prime minister says he s waiting until an internal inquiry led by senior civil servant sue grey is completed. but it may have already tipped the balance of the public opinion. according to savanta comres s snap poll out today, two thirds of uk voters think it s
were months on end, and it seemed they were not months on end, and it seemed they were not so months on end, and it seemed they were not so terrified because they were were not so terrified because they were happy to have a drinks party in the garden were happy to have a drinks party in the garden at the very height of the first lockdown, which was probably the worst first lockdown, which was probably the worst for most people. actually, i think this the worst for most people. actually, i think this is the worst for most people. actually, i think this is less the worst for most people. actually, i think this is less to the worst for most people. actually, i think this is less to do the worst for most people. actually, i think this is less to do with - the worst for most people. actually, i think this is less to do with the - i think this is less to do with the party than it is about who boris johnson is a prime minister. i think the is actually a sideshow, and what th