Downing Street party 'brings back pain' for bereaved mother

A woman whose daughter died from cancer with just her parents by her side has spoken of her anger about a Downing Street party held around the same time.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised for attending the garden drinks on 20 May 2020.

Isabel McEgan, 19, died from cancer on 10 May and her funeral took place two days after the No 10 event.

Her mother Amanda, from Merseyside, said it was "heartbreaking" that they had to choose just 14 other mourners.

Mrs McEgan said for two months Isabel's parents were the only ones who could visit her in in hospital.

She said it was a "great sadness" that her daughter, from Prescot, could not see her sister, friends or other relatives at that "so lonely" time.

"Seeing her coffin being carried into a crematorium and knowing that people were having parties in gardens, brings that pain back almost daily," she told BBC North West Tonight.

"You think you can move on a little bit, and then it is a few steps back when you think about the total disregard being shown to the members of public who were doing the right thing.

"You expect a leader to set the rules and lead by example, and the fact that they are not willing to do that is heartbreaking."

Mr Johnson apologised for attending the "bring your own booze" party during the first coronavirus lockdown at a stormy Prime Minister's Questions earlier.

He sat stony-faced as opposition MPs called for him to quit as prime minister, or for his own MPs to force him out.

Mr Johnson said he regretted his actions, and believed the event was work-related.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the prime minister must now quit over his "pathetic" excuses and "ridiculous" lies.

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