Traces of suspected cocaine were found after parties attended by guests of Liz Truss, it was claimed today.
Sources told The Guardian of allegations at Chevening estate in the days before Ms Truss won the Tory leadership.
Staff working at Chevening - a retreat in Kent for Foreign Secretaries - claimed they found traces of white powder on a side-table in a games room after two separate nights where Ms Truss entertained guests.
A member of staff claimed they tested the powder using a swab that changes colour when cocaine is present.
Ms Truss, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, hosted the gatherings in August and September.
Ms Truss’s spokesperson said: “This is categorically untrue.
"If there were evidence that this alleged activity had occurred during her use of Chevening, Ms Truss would have expected to have been informed and for the relevant authorities to have properly investigated the matter.
“As it is, the Guardian have produced no evidence to support these spurious claims.”
Separately, sources also told The Guardian white powder was found in offices at No10 after two lockdown parties when Boris Johnson was prime minister.
One was the 'cheese and wine' party in December 2020 while the other was a raucous bash the night before Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021.
Boris Johnson is understood not to have attended either of the two gatherings.
There is no suggestion that Ms Truss or Mr Johnson used the drug or that they were aware if drugs were used or present.
A spokesperson for Boris Johnson told the Guardian: “Boris Johnson is surprised by these allegations since he has not previously been made aware of any suggestions of drug use in 10 Downing Street and as far as he is aware no such claims were made to Sue Gray or to any other investigators.
“It was a feature of Mr Johnson’s premiership that he strongly campaigned against drug use, especially middle-class drug use. His government made huge investments in tougher policing to help roll up county lines drugs gangs, which cause so much misery. He repeatedly called for harsher punishments for the use and distribution of class A drugs.”
The Foreign Office declined to comment. While Chevening House is used by Foreign Secretaries, it is not Government property. It owned by a trust.
It is a crime to be in possession of cocaine - and it can lead to imprisonment for up to seven years or an unlimited fine.
The Government said they were launching a crackdown on casual drug users in July, with suggestions that people could have their passports confiscated.
A No10 spokesperson said: “The Guardian has provided no evidence to support these claims. If there were substantive claims, we would expect these to be reported to the police.
“There was an independent investigation into the nature of the gatherings under a previous administration - and its findings were published. That information was also handed to the Metropolitan Police Service who conducted their own investigation at the time.”
