'It seems he's so bent he can't lie straight in bed': Nick Ferrari savages PM over parties

11 January 2022, 08:28 | Updated: 11 January 2022, 09:23

Health Minister quizzed over Downing Street parties

This is the moment Nick Ferrari quizzed health minister Ed Argar over No10 parties during 2020.

LBC's Nick Ferrari challenged health minister Ed Argar on a gathering at Downing Street in 2020.

The Prime Minister's private secretary, Martin Reynolds, invited more than 100 Downing Street employees to a "bring your own booze" party in the No 10 garden in the spring.

It was also alleged that Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie, attended the event.

Police have since confirmed that they are in contact with the Cabinet Office, following an email leak which revealed details of the illegal lockdown gathering.

Outdoor social gatherings were banned in England at the time.

Nick said: "Why should my listeners listen to a word the Prime Minister says when it appears he is so bent he can't lie straight in bed?

"He's lied, lied and lied again."

In response, Mr Argar said: "I can entirely understand - based on the allegations - why people would be angry, upset and hurt.

"That's why I think it's right that the Prime Minister - before Christmas - came to the house and apologised and understood why people were sickened about the videos and allegations.

"He's done the right thing by commissioning Sue Gray - who is a very senior and experienced civil servant with the greatest integrity to look into this without fear or favour."

He added: "I know that I'm keen - as I suspect your listeners are - to get those facts."

Read more: Police 'in contact' with Cabinet about possible probe into lockdown party

Read more: Boris Johnson 'lied to the public and Parliament' over No 10 parties, Ed Davey says

Did you attend any Downing Street parties, minister?

Nick went on to push further saying: "[The PM] has misled you, he's misled me, he's misled the public and he's misled the house, hasn't he?"

Mr Argar explained: "These are allegations at the moment. I do not know and I didn't attend any parties so I don't know form personal experience what did or didn't happen.

"I think it's right that she's given the space to investigate that and determine what did happen."

Ed Miliband says he's 'gobsmacked' over latest No 10 party news

Labour MP Ed Miliband said: "I'm gobsmacked by this. Genuinely."

He added: "[The PM] can't hide behind this inquiry. If I went to a party, I know whether I went to the party or not.

"I don't need Sue Gray to tell me whether I went to the party. I don't need an inquiry to tell me whether I went to the party.

"He has got to tell us: Did he go to the party? How can he possible justify it? How can he justify his statements in the House of Commons that he broke no rules, that all the rules were followed?

"This is a rotten culture. The fact that this would be allowed, that this was thought to be ok, is unimaginable.

"It seems unimaginable to me."

Read more: Ed Miliband: Boris Johnson needs to justify No 10 parties, he can't hide behind inquiry

Minister pushed on Downing Street party investigation

The "bring your own booze" party took place five days after another event where the Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson were pictured with Downing Street officials having wine and cheese in the garden.

The Met said at the time that it would not investigate the alleged breaches because of an "absence of evidence" and a policy "not to investigate retrospective breaches" of Covid regulations.

The series of party allegations has led to an ongoing uproar of anger from Brits, with many having faced isolation from their family and friends while the events went ahead.

Following the cheese and wine gathering, people shared their stories online, along with pictures of how they spent May 2020 in lockdown.

Then Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden had told everyone in England at the time that they must only meet in pairs outdoors to help stop the spread of the virus.