Party time excellent

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Maybe it's just me, but he looks the spitting image of Sue Gray

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SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

Downing Street has admitted that staff gathered inside No 10 to celebrate Boris Johnson's birthday when the first Covid lockdown was still in place.

ITV News reports up to 30 people attended the June 2020 event, sang Happy Birthday and were served cake.

No 10 said staff had "gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes".

Rules at the time banned most indoor gatherings of more than two people.

ITV News said the birthday event had taken place in the Cabinet Room just after 2pm on 19 June 2020, adding that it had been a surprise for Mr Johnson after he returned from an official trip to a school in Hertfordshire.

It also reported that family and friends had been hosted in the prime minister's residence that evening.

But a No 10 spokesperson said: "This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the prime minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening."

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Under the Covid restrictions at the time, up to six people could gather outside, in a socially distanced manner.

But gatherings inside of two or more people were still not permitted indoors, except for certain reasons such as work or education.