A photo of Boris Johnson, his wife and 17 staff members in the Downing Street

Covid-19: No 10 says garden photo shows work meeting

The picture, published by The Guardian newspaper, was said to be taken in May 2020 during the first lockdown

A photo of Boris Johnson, his wife and 17 staff members in the Downing Street garden with bottles of wine and a cheese board shows them having a "work meeting", No 10 has said.

The Guardian, which published the image, says the gathering took place in May 2020, after a press conference held during the first lockdown.

At the time, there were strict restrictions on mixing.

No 10 said work meetings often took place outside during summer months.

But Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab suggested the event took place after work, telling BBC Breakfast: "Sometimes after a busy working day people have a drink - that was not against the regulations."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "a stretch" to call the gathering a work meeting, noting a "contrast" between the picture of the PM and people who were unable to attend funerals at the time because of the lockdown

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59722081