Boris Johnson To Impose Workplace Alcohol Ban After Prime Minister Prompts Backlash Over No10 COVID-19 Lockdown Party Scandal

Boris Johnson will implement a no-alcohol policy in No 10 as part of a resurgence aimed at rescuing his reign. As part of a bigger shake-up in the aftermath of the party scandal, the Prime Minister will vow to address the Downing Street drinking culture.

No10 is bracing for a tumultuous week, with worries that Tory MPs will return to Westminster today after spending the weekend being harrassed by constituents over the controversy. Tim Loughton, a former minister, became the sixth Conservative backbencher to ask for Johnson's resignation yesterday. In order to grasp the opportunity, nicknamed Operation Red Meat, the Prime Minister is planned a flurry of policy announcements during the next two weeks.

Boris Johnson battles to stay in No10

It started yesterday night when it was announced that the Armed Forces would be in charge of combatting migrant boats in the English Channel. In addition, Johnson is rumored to be planning a purge of his inner circle following the release of senior civil servant Sue Gray's investigation into Partygate, which might happen this week.

Among those considered as being in danger are Martin Reynolds, his primary private secretary, who wrote an email encouraging workers to 'bring your own booze' to the No 10 garden during the initial lockdown and chief-of-staff Dan Rosenfield. The Prime Minister will aim to "address the underlying culture in Downing Street" that led to the controversy. He conceded there were flaws in No 10, but he denied it was a reason for Johnson's resignation, according to Daily Mail.

Rather taking responsibility for the controversy that has engulfed Downing Street, he is more likely to blame a slew of civil servants who might now be fired. However, the Mirror can disclose that in the run-up to Christmas 2020, Johnson delivered a speech at a goodbye party for his defense adviser. After Sunday Times journalist Dominic Grieve reported about the No10 garden gathering on May 20 of that year, further concerns were raised regarding the PM's claim that he was ignorant of it.

If true, it casts doubt on his half-hearted apologies for ­Partygate last week and puts him at risk of being charged for violating the ministerial code by misrepresenting the commons. To add to Johnson's troubles, his wife Carrie was caught breaking Covid's social distance rules in September 2020, as per Mirror.

Downing Street is aware of the difficulty, but many close to Johnson remain optimistic that he can persuade MPs and voters that he is the right man for the job. They are aided by a lack of clarity about who would follow him, as well as doubts about how popular Labour's Sir Keir Starmer is.

Boris Johnson is accused of breaking the law and lying

The major focus will be on improving the culture among government employees, as well as a slew of policy announcements aimed to portray a leader committed to the country's goals.

Advisers think that altering the culture would provide a way out of the uncomfortable issues of why parties appear to have been permitted. They aim to provide the impression of a new administration without really establishing one. Everyone except those who had worked in or around Downing Street for years were surprised to learn that a suitcase had been carried to a local Co-op for wine during a rule-breaking celebration. The luggage was a common sight in the press office, where it was utilized for Friday night liquor runs and ridiculed by subsequent personnel.

There have been multiple tales of government workers storing alcohol in abandoned fireplaces, special advisers consuming beer and wine during Friday night "Spad school," and a culture where drinking at desks after a hard day at the office was not only tolerated but encouraged. It's nothing new, nor is it shocking to people who work in government.

As a result, individuals at the top will use culture reform as the first lever to demonstrate that they understand and want to change the way Downing Street operates. Alcohol may be prohibited, but only for personnel and not for formal events conducted behind the famed black door. There may be restrictions on remaining out late to socialize and utilizing the garden as a venting spot, according to Sky News.

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Boris Johnson, Party, Scandal