Rugby mum's anger at No 10 garden photo

The mother of a boy whose funeral during lockdown was held with a limit on mourners says she is angered by reports of a Downing Street gathering the next day.

Louise Bennett's 14-year-old, Fred, was buried on 14 May 2020 after leukaemia treatment.

On Sunday, a photo said to be from 15 May showed Boris Johnson, his wife and 17 staff members with wine and cheese.

The event in the Downing Street garden was a "work meeting," No 10 has said.

Ms Bennett, from Rugby in Warwickshire, said she was tired of the "constant excuses" by the government.

An investigation is taking place into a number of events within Downing Street in November and December last year.

The Guardian, which published the image at the weekend, said the garden gathering took place after a press conference held during the first lockdown.

At the time, gatherings of more than two people were banned in outdoor public spaces in England, although restrictions did not extend then to private gardens.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "a stretch" to call it a work meeting, adding it showed a "contrast" between the prime minister and people unable to attend funerals of loved ones.

Ms Bennett said: "I don't understand how time and time again the government can say that those rules didn't apply to them - or if they did apply to them they could justify their actions on technicalities and small print really."

Fred died on 3 May 2020 after being treated at Great Ormond St Hospital and Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The "difficult circumstances" around his death were made "ten times worse" by coronavirus restrictions, Ms Bennett explained.

The local church was closed so a graveside funeral was held and attended by only 10 people.

"Because they had relaxed the rules a little, people did stand outside and watch us from a distance but it was not the same as being able to celebrate his life in the way that we would have wanted," Ms Bennett said.

"Fred was a really popular boy and had lots of friends and I think the thing that I find hardest is that we were able to say goodbye to him in that funeral service but his friends weren't.

"They've never had the opportunity to celebrate him in that way that you would do in a traditional service."

She added the family had been "happy to abide" by the restrictions because "that's what we were told to do".

Defending the gathering of staff, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told BBC Breakfast: "If you think how hard they are working under the pressure of the week, they sometimes have a drink, and that's what's happening there."

Responding to Ms Bennett's story he added: "My heart goes out to her and anyone else who's lost a loved-one during this pandemic.

"I don't think that is drawing an equivalence with work meetings in an office, particularly a government office," he said.

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