UK PM says Downing St. gathering was work meeting

(21 Dec 2021) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday insisted a photograph showing him and colleagues in the Downing Street garden during lockdown restrictions shows people "at work, talking about work". The photograph, taken last May, shows Johnson, his wife and 17 staff members outside with bottles of wine and cheese. "This is where I live and it's where I work. Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work," Johnson said. Johnson is walking a political tightrope as he faces increasing attacks from both friends and enemies amid a surge in COVID-19 infections. The photograph is the latest blow to Johnson and the ruling Conservatives. The threat to Johnson and his party was on stark display last week as the prime minister reeled from one political crisis to another. On Tuesday, Johnson faced the biggest parliamentary rebellion of his tenure as 97 Conservatives voted against new virus restrictions. Two days later he suffered a stinging by-election defeat in a normally safe Conservative area amid anger over reports that government employees held Christmas parties last year while the country was in lockdown. Then Saturday, one of his staunchest allies resigned from his Cabinet, citing discomfort with the new coronavirus rules. The pressure on Johnson is being stoked by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which has pushed Britain's infections to record highs in recent days. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...