The committee is also likely to take an interest in the so-called Abba “Winner Takes Everything” party, which is said to have taken place on November 13, five months after his June 19 birthday.
The Telegraph understands that the early draft of Gray’s report contains a reference to officials who claim to have heard Abba’s songs echoing from the Prime Minister’s apartment the evening Dominique Cummings, Mr Johnson’s chief aide, and Lee Kane, its communications director, resigned.
One person interviewed by Ms. Gray said: “I told both her and the police that I heard Abba’s music coming from apartment 11 that night. At least three other people told her the same thing, but although we offered this information, it was never followed by anyone.
A source familiar with the early drafts said the reference to Abba’s music was there, but “it wasn’t very detailed.”
Discover text messages
Messages were sent by Ms. Johnson on June 19, 2020, a few hours after the birthday party held in the office for which Mr. Johnson was fined, along with Ms. Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the Minister of Finance.
Reports appear to indicate a second reunion in her apartment. During the alleged event, the rules for blocking Covid were clear – forbidding more than two people to meet indoors, except for business purposes.
At the evening event in their apartment, it was alleged that Ms. Johnson was in the company of at least two friends, both of whom are special advisers. But Ms. Johnson did not have an official position in government, and it is uncertain what the purpose of the work might be.
The messages, exchanged at 6:15 p.m., began with one of Downing Street’s aides, who informed Ms. Johnson that her husband was on his way to the apartment. According to sources, it was customary to send such messages, and it was not unreasonable to inform Ms. Johnson about the Prime Minister’s movements. Ms. Johnson, according to the Sunday Times, then replied that “she was already there and assumed she had an indefinite number of male friends.”
It is not clear what exact words are contained in the message from Ms. Johnson, but according to sources familiar with the reports, she replied: “Great. I’m already here with the gays. ”
The term lovingly used refers to a small circle of gay, male friends with whom Ms. Johnson is close. The allegation of using such language is in line with a report published in February by a Downing Street official, quoted by Dan Hodges, a Mail on Sunday columnist. He wrote: “She [Mrs Johnson] he would say, “I’m with the gays upstairs in the apartment. Can you get on It was meant to be an affectionate nickname. “
The existence of the texts was known to Gray’s investigation in January. But now it’s getting complicated.
The aide declined to pass on the messages, but said they were ready to go to the office and show them in person to inquirers. The aide also said they had agreed to take them to the Sofia police, who announced at the time that they were launching their own criminal investigation.
The cabinet challenged this version of events. A source in the office said: “The person did not offer to bring the messages to the office, so there was no chance for the investigative team to read them.”
The aide has now written to Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, to gather with him “some evidence that I provided to Gray and Met’s report that I think is important.” It includes an email attachment sent to Gray’s inquiry in January, alleging “messages indicating that there was a social gathering that night in the prime minister’s apartment.”
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