Michael Portillo slammed Boris Johnson for allegedly breaching restrictions during the lockdown. Mr Portillo insisted he was "not terribly puzzled by Boris's' behaviour' but he was shocked by the other civil servants and senior MPs who are said to of taken part in boozy lockdown parties in No.10 Downing Street. The former politician took particular aim at Martin Reynolds, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, who allegedly sent invitations to up to 100 Tory staff members to join in an alcohol-fueled "bring your own booze" event.

       Mr Portillo said: "It seems to be almost worse than that, almost a lack of human empathy.

       "When they... I mean I go back to thinking that the regulations were wrong, they were unreasonable, they were inhumane, they were excessive.

       "And I think that there just wasn't the empathy to understand what it meant, for your mother to be dying and not to be allowed to see her.

       "For the funeral to occur and for you not to be allowed to go there.

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       Mr Portillo added: "You see I'm as... I'm not terribly puzzled by Boris' behaviour.

       "But I'm very puzzled by this fellow called Martin Reynolds, who's the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister.

       "What an earth did he think, is the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister doing in the middle of a lockdown.

       "Sending out an invitation to what on the surface would appear to be, an illegal gathering< what has happened to the civil servants?"

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       Mr Farage said: "It did say at the bottom 'bring your own booze' fairly clear."

       Mr Portillo said: "One has to be careful about liable, I would say what on the surface would appear to be a criminal matter.

       "How on earth did this happen? What has happened to... I think there's a whole list of things.

       "You know Simon Case, what was Simone Case doing judging these matters when allegedly he'd been at one of the parties."

       Mr Farage added: "For a very brief period."

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       MP and vice-chairman of the 1922 committee, William Wragg said: "I don't believe it should be left to the findings of a civil servant to determine the future of the Prime Minister.

       "And indeed who governs this country. I think it is for the Conservative Party, if not the Prime Minister, in fact, to make that decision, and to realise what is in the best interest.

       "So that we can move forward both as a party and a country.

       "no doubt the Prime Minister is reflecting deeply on what has happened, but I cannot in all sincerity see a way where these issues go away.

       "It is deeply unfortunate, but I'm afraid it is... the inevitable conclusion is the only way to do that is with a change."