No 10 Staff Told To 'Clean Up' Phones In Party Cover-Up

Downing Street staff were advised to “clean up” their phones by removing information that could suggest lockdown parties were held at No 10, The Independent has been told. Two sources claim a senior member of staff told them it would be a “good idea” to remove any messages implying they had attended or were even aware of anything that could “look like a party”.

- Anna Isaac

Boris Johnson is facing an internal investigation into lockdown breaching parties, being carried out by senior civil servant Sue Gray, and fury at revelations that 100 Downing Street workers were invited by email to a drinks event on 20 May 2020, when Britons were allowed to meet only one other person outdoors.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said it raised “yet more questions for a prime minister who seems to have no answers”.

The “clean-up” suggestion was made early last month after the first reports emerged of parties at Downing Street, the sources allege. One said they were told to clean up their phone just in case” they had to hand it in to the investigation. A second said: “I was being leant on [during the discussion with a senior colleague) and told to get rid of anything that could look bad. Both sources told The Independent they felt under pressure to delete communications and images.