Boris Johnson said no-one told him the Downing St party broke the rules and was mercilessly mocked – 23 favourite responses
After his ‘I didn’t know it was a work event’ was widely ridiculed, Boris Johnson has come up with another excuse for turning up to that boozy Downing Street garden party during lockdown.
Hard to believe we know – and it is hard to believe – but this one might be even worse.
Speaking for the first time in almost a week, Johnson said ‘nobody warned me it was against the rules’ for a drinks party to be hosted in Downing Street garden. Of course they didn’t!
Boris Johnson says ‘nobody told me’ Downing Street party broke lockdown rules pic.twitter.com/6mHdtw9IiQ
— The Independent (@Independent) January 18, 2022
And the idea that the PM wouldn’t twig that a garden party full of people enjoying drinks and nibbles at the height of lockdown might – just might – be against the stringent rules in place at the time, got entirely the responses it deserved.
1.
Shoplifter walking out of Currys with a TV under his arm: “Nobody told me this was against the rules.”
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) January 18, 2022
2.
Wow everyone we misjudged poor Boris Johnson. No one ever told him what the rules were. Great failure of followship if you don't tell the leader what is going on. https://t.co/SveCsu6jeC
— Rosie Holt (@RosieisaHolt) January 18, 2022
3.
"I didn't know those were the rules, I only said them on TV every single day, spent thousands on marketing campaigns that stated said rules, mentioned the rules on every interview I did and fined other people for not following the rules but at no point did understand the rules"
— TechnicallyRon (On all the platforms) (@TechnicallyRon) January 18, 2022
4.
The rule (which he set) at the time was basically to count to 2 https://t.co/sPdnZ5MEy3
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) January 18, 2022
5.
the 2,000 people prosecuted at Westminster magistrates court for breaking covid lockdown rules would have got short thrift if they'd argued they hadn't understood the rules properly
— Jim Pickard 🐋 (@PickardJE) January 18, 2022
6.
YOU MADE THE RULES; YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE NEEDED WARNING https://t.co/YchLf6JkB2
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) January 18, 2022
7.
“No-one told me that a party with 30-40 people and tables of food and drink was against the rules which I put in place myself and which stated you could only be with one other person outside”
World-beating gaslighting.pic.twitter.com/nomBhWntai
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) January 18, 2022
8.
"I was on the beach for 25 minutes & saw people swimming. No one told me sharks eat people" pic.twitter.com/vzzIoSBceS
— joe heenan (@joeheenan) January 18, 2022
9.
Why do you have to be told about rules and laws that you make and announce to the country?
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) January 18, 2022
10.
Boris Johnson saying no one told him the Downing Street gathering was against the rules is a new level of dissociation, almost like he’s spent two years watching someone else be prime minister and is now scratching his head about the decisions they’ve taken.
— Isabel Hardman (@IsabelHardman) January 18, 2022
11.
I thought "ignorance" was no defence under the law.https://t.co/iI5Xrdy4A0
— Otto English (@Otto_English) January 18, 2022
12.
Genuinely can't believe this the best that they could come up with. At least say he was tricked by a naughty wizard. https://t.co/XrblzIw4HB
— Nish Kumar (@MrNishKumar) January 18, 2022