Dominic Cummings claims Tory staff held 'rule-breaking drinks' on May 20, 2020

The former Vote Leave campaign director, who left Boris Johnson’s government in November 2020, has claimed on his blog that “there was a rule-breaking drinks on 20 May” of that year.

Cummings also addressed a photo published by the Guardian showing Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie, a man alleged to be former health secretary Matt Hancock, and around 16 others drinking wine and eating cheese in a Downing Street garden.

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The former chief adviser to the Prime Minister said that the Government’s line was true, and the photo did not show rule-breaking or a party but instead a work meeting held on May 15, 2020.

However, he added: “The inquiry should investigate the ‘Socially Distanced Drinks’ email sent on Wednesday 20 May 2020.”

“There was a rule-breaking drinks on 20 May,” he clarified on Twitter.

Rules at the time allowed only two people from different households to meet outside, at a distance of two metres.

The inquiry into parties held in Whitehall is being led by veteran civil servant Sue Gray after cabinet secretary Simon Case (above) became implicated in the very scandal he was tasked with investigating.

Writing on his blog, Cummings alleged: “On Wednesday 20 May, the week after [the photo published by the Guardian], a senior No10 official invited people to ‘socially distanced drinks’ in the garden.

“I and at least one other [special adviser] (in writing so Sue Gray can dig up the original email and the warning) said that this seemed to be against the rules and should not happen.

“We were ignored. I was ill and went home to bed early that afternoon but am told this event definitely happened.”

He added: “In my opinion it would not be fair for most officials who went to the garden for drinks on 20 May to be punished because, given the nature of the invitation, a junior official would be justified in thinking ‘this must somehow be within the rules or X would not have invited me’.

“Other than the 20 May, I’m not aware of events in No10 that ‘broke the rules’ while I was there.”

Cummings (above) went on to attack Johnson as someone who is “generally lying all the time”.

“Obviously the PM has told multiple lies about parties in December 2020 and forced or encouraged others to tell the media untrue things,” he said.

The former chief adviser went on to call for Johnson to be removed from the head of the Tory Party, saying that “the chaos will continue” until he is.

“Tory MPs should ensure this happens before August so a new PM is in place for September and can use power for 18 months,” Cummings said.

“The 2024 election means the Tories asking for 19 years and a fifth term. This request has never been granted in British democratic politics. ‘Time for change’ will be extremely powerful,” he went on.

“The fact that [Keir] Starmer is a dud means the Tories do have a chance but only if there is a new PM with a great team that can figure out the right priorities and execute with ruthless skill, speed and focus.

“If the trolley [Johnson] is left smashing around for another 2 years, the Tories could not only lose but be so discredited they are out for a decade.”

Cummings claimed that Johnson’s mismanagement and desire to claim that “Covid’s over” had led to issues with the NHS and economy that could have been avoided if the government “had taken advice from me”.

He warned that further Covid variants would deal huge damage to the UK, and “we will again only realise this when the crisis lands, just as we learned for sure that 2020 had been wasted only when Omicron landed”.

The UK Government has been approached for comment.