The problem with No. 10’s drinking culture

One challenge for the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in deciding whether a group of people drinking together is a party is that there was something of an evening drinking culture in 10 Downing Street, especially on Friday nights and especially in the press office.

He’ll have to begin his adjudication of the propriety of Downing Street parties by deciding whether a group of people routinely drinking at their desks in the office constituted a breach of lockdown rules.

According to a government source:

‘The Number 10 press guys drink at their desks on a Friday evening… that goes on for hours, but still fielding calls/emails etc, so just got old school Fleet Street vibes.’

The point is that Case will be reviewing a series of Downing Street gatherings, which look like unlawful parties.