Tuesday May 24 2022 | thetimes.co.uk | No 73791Boris Johnson is facing new claims that
he misled parliament after he was
photographed drinking with aides at a
lockdown-breaking party in No 10.
The photographs show the prime
minister raising a glass at a leaving
party for Lee Cain, his director of
communications, in November 2020.
The prime minister is in front of a table
with several bottles of alcohol, includ-
ing wine and gin.
Johnson was not fined for attending
the event despite the police issuing
fixed-penalty notices to at least one
other person who was present. The fine
was issued for the offence of participat-
ing in an indoor gathering with more
than two people.
The prime minister told police that
he viewed the drinks as a work event
because those involved were saying
farewell to an employee. Allies said he
attended for less than ten minutes.
The emergence of the photographs
comes before the publication of a
report by Sue Gray, a senior Whitehall
official, into lockdown-breaking par-
ties. It could come as soon as today.
Publication of the report will intens-
ify pressure on Johnson, who is facing
an investigation by the Commons privi-
leges committee into allegations that
he knowingly misled MPs.
Last December the Labour MP
Catherine West asked Johnson in the
Commons whether there had been a
party in Downing Street on the day of
Cain’s departure. Johnson denied that a
party had taken place, adding that
“whatever happened, the guidance was
followed and the rules were followed at
all times”. He defended his position
when asked again a month later.
If the committee finds that Johnson
misled the Commons, it would amount
to a breach of the ministerial code. Such
a breach, the code makes clear, should
result in resignation.
Meanwhile, The Times has been told
that Johnson suggested Gray should
drop her plans to publish her report
during a secret meeting with him
earlier this month. Steve Barclay, his
chief of staff, was also said to have been
present.
“He asked her, is there much point in
doing it now that it’s all out there?” a
Whitehall source said. “He was infer-
ring that she didn’t need to publish the
report.” Another added: “They were
exploring this idea of not having anyreport. It was being talked about [in
Downing Street]. But politically they
realised they couldn’t do it.” Gray has
found herself at the centre of a briefing
war in recent days after No 10 wrongly
claimed that she had instigated the
meeting with Johnson.
Critics briefed that she had been“enjoying the limelight a little too
much” and Gray’s press officer was
subsequently removed from his role.
One government source said that
Samantha Jones, the permanent secre-
tary at No 10, arranged the meeting
after Johnson expressed fury about a
report in The Times which stated thatsenior officials believed he might have
to quit. A government source denied
the claim last night and said the
meeting had been organised to discuss
the “handling and choreography” of
the report.
Johnson is expected to claim that the
Continued on page 2, col 3Steven Swinford Political Editor
Oliver Wright Policy Editor
A photo of the No 10 leaving party in November 2020, obtained by ITV News, shows Boris Johnson raising his glass for a toast by a table with wine and gin bottlesCatherine West, Labour MP:
“Will the prime minister
tell the House whetherthere was a party in
Downing Street on the
13th of November?”Boris Johnson:“No. But I’m sure that,
whatever happened, the
guidance was followedand the rules were
followed at all times”Thousands of Britons who suffer from
chronic migraines could benefit from a
drug found to relieve previously
untreatable headache pain.
Nine in ten patients with debilitating
migraines reported immediate pain
relief after receiving an infusion of a
local anaesthetic called lidocaine.
Researchers believe that it could “break
Drug offers instant relief for thousands of migraine sufferers
the cycle of pain” experienced by
sufferers.
There is no cure for migraines, which
affect six million people in Britain,
although patients may be prescribed
painkillers or Botox injections to ease
symptoms. Migraines are the second
leading cause of work absence, costing
the economy £2.25 billion a year.
About one in 1,000 people suffer
chronic migraines, meaning they get
headaches at least 15 days a month. Thenew study said lidocaine appeared to be
suitable for such patients, who were
often failed by dozens of medications.
The research, published by the British
Medical Journal, was based on data from
609 patients in the US who received the
treatment via a drip in hospital.
After receiving the drug on top of
other migraine treatments, 88 per cent
reported immediate pain relief and
43 per cent had sustained pain relief for
at least one month. The treatmentreduced the number of “headache
days” from 27 per month at the start of
the study to 23 at the follow-up stage.
The study’s authors, from the
University of Philadelphia, called for
further research that could lead to lido-
caine being given on the NHS as a
migraine treatment.
Lidocaine reduces the firing of
nerves that cause pain. It is usually
given as a skin cream but can also be
delivered through a vein in the arm asan infusion, which is already available
on the NHS for some patients with
widespread chronic pain.
Rob Music, head of the Migraine
Trust, said: “Chronic migraine can have
a huge impact on a person’s life, affect-
ing their ability to work, go to school,
look after loved ones and socialise.
Finding safe and effective ways to break
the pain cycle and improve quality of
life... is crucial and we welcome re-
search looking into new treatments.”Eleanor Hayward
Health Correspondent
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News
Page 3Partying PM ‘misled Commons’
6 Johnson pictured raising glass at lockdown drinks for aide 6 Sue Gray was ‘pressured’ to drop report in No 10 meeting
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