Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has today challenged Welsh Secretary of State MP Simon Hart to submit a letter of no-confidence in Conservative party leader, Boris Johnson.

The challenge to the def-facto Welsh Conservative Leader in Westminster came after fresh revelations of a Downing Street garden party undermined the Prime Minister’s claim to have no knowledge of parties taking place in his official residence during lockdown.

Jane Dodds, MS for Mid and West Wales, said: “While my constituents and people all across Wales said goodbye to their loved ones via Zoom, Boris Johnson’s private secretary was telling staff to bring their own booze for a garden party knees up.

“It’s one rule for them and one rule for everyone else.

“It is now clear that the Prime Minister has repeatedly lied to the public and massively disrespected the Welsh public. Surely Simon Hart must submit his letter of no confidence because this Prime Minister needs to be removed.”

Calls for answers from Boris Johnson have been widespread across the UK since claims that he attended the party during the first national lockdown in 2020 when outdoor social gatherings were banned.

It has been alleged that he and his wife Carrie attended the garden gathering on May 20 two years ago, although Mr Johnson has not responded to the claims while an investigation is ongoing.

Welsh Labour MS for Mid and West Wales Eluned Morgan also condemned the prime minister over the reports he had broken the lockdown regulations.

At the press conference, she said: “If we remember back to what was happening in May 2020, it was about the most acute time in the whole crisis."

“I just think about the sacrifices that so many people in Wales made at that time. Sacrifices of not being able to say goodbye face to face to loved ones in hospitals, sacrifices people made in terms of not being able to leave their homes to see loved ones, not being able to reach out for the support that so many people wanted at that time.

“To have that juxtaposed with a situation where within Downing Street a party was going on really defies belief.”

Senior civil servant Sue Gray is leading the ongoing inquiry into multiple allegations of Covid-19 rule-breaking in Downing Street and other government buildings including the party on May 20 and another alleged gathering on May 15.

On Monday, January 10, ITV News published the email it had obtained which invited Downing Street staff to "make the most of the lovely weather" with "some socially distanced drinks" on May 20.

The email from one of the Prime Minister’s key aides Martin Reynolds had been sent to more than 100 employees in 10 Downing Street.

Off the 100 invitees, around 40 attended - including door staff, advisers and speech writers - in the garden to drink and eat picnic food.

Speaking at a press conference today, Mr Johnson’s official spokesperson said Mr Reynolds "continues in his role" and still has the Prime Minister’s full confidence.