UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie&nbsp;were among 100 people who attended a “bring your own booze” party at his Downing Street residence during the first nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020, according to a leaked email seen by broadcaster ITV News.

It is being said that around 40 staff gathered in Johnson’s residence in Downing Street for the drinks party, even though there was a restriction on social mixing.

An email was sent by the Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds to over 100 employees in Downing Street on May 20, 2020, ITV said.

The leaked email asked them to bring alcohol to the party and to “make the most of the lovely weather”.

Following the revelation, the Liberal Democrats called for a police investigation, following which the Scotland Yard announced that the Metropolitan Police is considering probing the event.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnsons-former-aide-talks-about-another-party-in-no-10-garden-during-lockdown-in-2020-443153">UK PM Boris Johnson's former aide talks about another party in No 10 garden during lockdown in 2020</a>

Johnson, who won a landslide victory in a 2019 election, has been facing criticism over allegations that there were parties in breach of COVID-19 rules in government offices, including his own.

London's police, which previously declined to investigate claims of government officials gathering during the national lockdowns, on Monday said it was in contact with the Cabinet Office after “widespread reporting” of breaches of health protection laws in Downing Street.

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A senior government official, Sue Gray, is investigating allegations that at least five parties were held in government departments last year during COVID-19 lockdowns, reports Reuters.

It was Johnson's former chief adviser Dominic Cummings who was the first to claim in a blog that a drinks party had been held in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 despite warnings by him that it was against the rules.

(With inputs from agencies)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were among 100 people who attended a “bring your own booze” party at his Downing Street residence during the first nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020, according to a leaked email seen by broadcaster ITV News.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were among 100 people who attended a “bring your own booze” party at his Downing Street residence during the first nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020, according to a leaked email seen by broadcaster ITV News. It is being said that around 40 staff gathered in Johnson’s residence in Downing Street for the drinks party, even though there was a restriction on social mixing. An email was sent by the Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds to over 100 employees in Downing Street on May 20, 2020, ITV said. The leaked email asked them to bring alcohol to the party and to “make the most of the lovely weather”. Following the revelation, the Liberal Democrats called for a police investigation, following which the Scotland Yard announced that the Metropolitan Police is considering probing the event. Also read | UK PM Boris Johnson's former aide talks about another party in No 10 garden during lockdown in 2020 Johnson, who won a landslide victory in a 2019 election, has been facing criticism over allegations that there were parties in breach of COVID-19 rules in government offices, including his own. London's police, which previously declined to investigate claims of government officials gathering during the national lockdowns, on Monday said it was in contact with the Cabinet Office after “widespread reporting” of breaches of health protection laws in Downing Street. Also read | Rishi Sunak would be a better prime minister for UK than Boris Johnson: Poll A senior government official, Sue Gray, is investigating allegations that at least five parties were held in government departments last year during COVID-19 lockdowns, reports Reuters. It was Johnson's former chief adviser Dominic Cummings who was the first to claim in a blog that a drinks party had been held in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 despite warnings by him that it was against the rules. (With inputs from agencies)

UK PM Johnson to face the music over reports of holding booze party during Covid lockdown

The UN. human rights office voiced concern on Monday about more than a dozen countries that have declared states of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic where police have arrested or detained hundreds of thousands of people and killed others.

The UN. human rights office voiced concern on Monday about more than a dozen countries that have declared states of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic where police have arrested or detained hundreds of thousands of people and killed others. "Emergency powers should not be a weapon governments can wield to quash dissent, control the population, and even perpetuate their time in power," UN. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that denounced shootings and detentions without being specific. A top official from her office said about 80 countries have declared emergencies due to the new coronavirus, including 15 where the allegations were deemed most troubling. They were: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Peru, Honduras, Jordan, Morocco, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Iran and Hungary. However, Georgette Gagnon, director of field operations, added at a virtual briefing in Geneva "there are probably several dozen more we could have highlighted". "A main concern on exceptional emergency measures is what has been described as a toxic lockdown culture in some countries," Gagnon said. "As the High Commissioner highlighted, police and other security forces are using excessive and sometimes deadly force to enforce lockdowns and curfews." Some of those countries have arrested and detained tens of thousands of people for violation of confinement measures linked to the pandemic, with the Philippines topping the list with 120,000 apprehended for curfew violations in the past 30 days. In the case of Kenya, Gagnon said that authorities were investigating 20 cases related to deaths linked to police conduct in implementing curfew measures. The country has reported 14 COVID deaths to the World Health Organization. President Uhuru Kenyatta has apologised for police violence. In South Africa, the UN has received reports of police using rubber bullets, tear gas, water bombs and whips, to enforce social distancing, especially in poor neighborhoods. Thirty-nine complaints including murder, rape, use of fire arms and corruption are being investigated, Gagnon said. Police have described the use of whips as unacceptable. In Nigeria, OHCHR has received reports that security forces killed 18 people in relation to COVID enforcement measures. Nigerian authorities have attributed some deaths to prison violence. She also raised concerns about police extortion in Africa. "Those who cannot pay bribes, poor people, are taken to mandatory quarantine centres although there is no indication that they have come into contact with someone testing positive to COVID." Gagnon, asked about China's record during the crisis, said: "The office has received reports of censorship on and offline, intimidation, arrest and apparent detention of dissenting voices such as doctors, journalists, human rights defenders and members of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)." The office was liaising with China on around half of dozen of those cases, she said.

UN raises alarm about police brutality in lockdowns

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UK PM Johnson to face the music over reports of holding booze party during Covid lockdown

UN raises alarm about police brutality in lockdowns