Boris Johnson argues that officials were following Covid restrictions inside 10 Downing Street. When pressed about gatherings in the garden, the former prime minister adds: "I really, really don't think that those officials thought that they were setting out to break the rules". His comments came during a conversation with Tom Bradby on ITV1's 'Boris Johnson: The Interview', which airs at 7pm on Friday 4th October.
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NewsTranscript
00:00As you know, we broke quite a lot of the Partygate stories.
00:02It was in this newsroom when Paul Brand came in with an email
00:06from Martin Reynolds, your private secretary.
00:08This is like quite at the start of COVID.
00:10You have told us that people will die if we don't.
00:13And here is your private secretary
00:15writing to over 100 people, inviting them to a party
00:19in the Downing Street Garden.
00:21Sorry, hang on a second.
00:22People can't understand why you wouldn't
00:24be paralytically apologetic about that.
00:27And actually, I was at the time, if you remember what happened.
00:31But now you're saying, oh, it wasn't a big deal.
00:33I shouldn't have applied.
00:34If you look at what, the reason the Downing Street Garden was
00:37used was because it was thought to be a much safer environment.
00:43And we had to maintain distance.
00:45But look, you know, what I don't think.
00:48We were in this newsroom with arrows
00:50saying walk round this way.
00:51So were we.
00:52So were we.
00:52We were outside agonisingly spoken with one person.
00:55I really.
00:55Well, you weren't.
00:56You were inviting 100 people to the garden.
00:58It's madness.
00:59That was outside.
01:01I really, really don't think that those officials thought
01:05that they were setting out to break the rules.
01:07But they were breaking the rules.
01:08They thought that they were doing something.
01:10They were working round the clock.