[Cleo Watson] [09:09] "Hi! PM birthday today - we’ve organised some sandwiches and cake for about 1pm in the Cabinet Room if anyone from your team would like to pop in and wish him a happy birthday…."
[Cleo Watson] [09:09] "Have sent this to policy, press and e&v heads. Do you mind letting PSs know?"
[Martin Reynolds] [09:32] "Will do".
Martin Reynolds subsequently sent an email at 09.34 to a number of No10 staff, including the No 10 Permanent Secretary for Covid and the Pandemic Response, Simon Case, and the No 10 Private Secretaries, saying ’For the PM s birthday today we are having sandwiches and cake in the Cabinet room so do come along and wish the PM happy birthday.’ We do not know which individuals saw this email.
The event
The Prime Minister was not aware of this event in advance and it did not form part of his official diary for the day. He returned from an external visit to No 10 Downing Street at approximately 14.20 and was taken into the Cabinet Room which had been set up with sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks and cans of beer. Those attending included No 10 officials and Mrs. Johnson. The Permanent Secretary for Covid and Pandemic Response, Simon Case, attended for a short period having arrived early for a meeting which was due to take place in the Cabinet room. The Chancellor was also there briefly having also arrived early for the same meeting. He had no advance knowledge about what had been planned.
The event lasted between 14.25 and 14.45, throughout which the Prime Minister was present. Those attending consumed food and drink, and some drank alcohol. There are photographs of the event.
13 November 2020:
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser
Extract from regulations/guidance
On 5 November 2020, a second national lockdown was introduced which required people to stay at home and prohibited indoor gatherings of two or more people from other households except for permitted exceptions, including where the "gathering is reasonably necessary … for work purposes". Social distancing remained the rule at work, with guidance on working safely in offices saying "you must maintain social distancing in the workplace wherever possible". Offices were advised to "maintain social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation
