Number 10 has used a national security loophole to spare the blushes of a guest at Boris Johnson ’s lockdown-busting birthday party, the Sunday Mirror can reveal.
The Prime Minister, wife Carrie Johnson and Rishi Sunak all paid fines this week after attending the brief birthday bash in June 2020.
But questions remain over the presence of Lulu Lytle, the luxury interior designer who also attended the party while working on the lavish refurb of Mr Johnson’s Downing Street flat.
Ms Lytle has said she attended the event only briefly, while she was waiting to speak to Mr Johnson about the makeover - and wasn’t invited.
But it led to concerns that Ms Lytle was able to “wander in” unescorted to the Cabinet Room - where the party was held - which is a high security area of Number 10.
But Number 10 now refuses to say whether Ms Lytle had a high enough security clearance to attend the party - and claimed confirming or denying whether she was vetted would be a threat to national security.
Labour ’s Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Hopkins said: “Anyone who accesses Number 10 should be subject to the same security rules, whether they are a friend of the Prime Minister or not.”
In response to a Freedom of Information Request lodged by the Sunday Mirror, Number 10 refused to say whether Ms Lytle had obtained the correct clearance to enter the Cabinet Room - or even whether she had undergone any screening at all.
And they argued such information was "classified", and releasing it into the public domain would be a threat to national security.
An official wrote: "Information about any aspects of the security of our sites is classified in the interests of national security, and, as such, cannot be divulged."
They added: “...it would not be in the public interest to confirm or deny whether information pertaining to the security of our sites is held as it would prejudice the security of UK personnel.”
Ms Hopkins added: “We already know Boris Johson’s broke the rules with his luxury refurb using murky money from dodgy Tory donors and taxpayers’ cash.
“Now there are questions about whether his luxury designer was given privileged access to the centre of Government, handed ‘VIP’ clearance to come and go to and from Downing Street by a lax Prime Minister with a track record of complete disregard for security.
“If you have the privilege to lead our country, you must follow the highest standards of integrity and honesty at all times. It can’t be one rule for him and another for everyone else.”
Ms Lytle has previously said she only attended the event “briefly” while and was not invited to the party itself.
And the PM’s spokesman said at the time: “I believe she was there for work purposes, beyond that I don’t know. She was invited briefly to enter the room.”
Mr Johnson agreed to pay a £50 fixed penalty after Scotland Yard decided the party broke lockdown rules.
At the time pubs, beauty salons, campsites, many school classes, cafes and canteens were all closed by law.
It was illegal to meet anyone from another household socially indoors - and when churches finally opened 15 days later, singing remained banned.
But up to 30 guests sang “Happy Birthday” to Mr Johnson, crammed into the Cabinet Room while the Prime Minister raised a can of Estrella beer.
Mr Sunak offered an "unreserved apology", saying he understood that "for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence".
A spokesperson for Mrs Johnson said: "Whilst she believed that she was acting in accordance with the rules at the time, Mrs Johnson accepts the Metropolitan Police's findings and apologises unreservedly."
And on Tuesday, Mr Johnson said he "fully respects" the outcome of the police investigation and that he accepted "in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better" from him.
