PM 'among 40 guests' at No 10 lockdown party

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( January 11, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [PM ‘attended No 10 lockdown-breaking party’ with 100 Downing Street staff invited]( More than 100 Downing Street staff were invited to a lockdown-breaking party in the No 10 garden and told to “bring your own booze”, a leaked email shows. The revelation heaps fresh pressure on Boris Johnson, who refused to say whether he had attended, but a source told The Independent he had “hung out” with staff for at least an hour as they knocked back drinks. The party took place on 20 May 2020, as England was still emerging from the strict first Covid lockdown and meetings with more than one other person outdoors were still banned. 2 / [Boris Johnson scrambles for plan to avert £600 energy bills hike after admitting families need ‘help’]( No solution in sight as prime minister joins talks – as Labour attacks ‘vacuum of leadership’ 3 / [MP found to have been raped by politician ex says he was ‘a good guy’ at first]( Kate Griffiths, MP for Burton in Staffordshire, has told a Tortoise Media podcast how she initially found Andrew Griffiths to be a ‘charmer’. 4 / [Man receives first successful transplant of pig heart into human body]( The patient had previously been deemed ineligible for a traditional organ transplant 5 / [Woman had stillbirth in jail after nurse said it was ‘painful period’]( Louise Powell, 31, suffered ‘terrifying, painful and traumatic experience’ while giving birth to baby girl in prison toilet after opportunities to help her were ‘lost’, investigation finds The Big Question Is ‘Deltacron’ a concerning new Covid variant or just a laboratory error? A scientist who reported the existence of a new Covid variant that combines characteristics of Delta and Omicron has insisted his findings are accurate after experts dismissed them as the result of laboratory samples becoming contaminated. Dr Leonidos Kostrikis, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, told the Cypriot channel Sigma TV that he and his colleagues have identified 25 cases of the so-called “Deltacron” variant, which has resulted in hospitalisation in 11 cases, and have submitted their data to the GISAID global database. The announcement caused concern over the weekend after it trended on social media, prompting several experts to reject Dr Kostrikis’s claims and the latter to issue a statement insisting he is correct. So who is right? [Read the full story >]( Watch / [Huge sinkhole appears at coastal beauty spot revealing hidden underground beach]( NUMBER OF THE DAY £96.35 Ikea has cut sick pay for unvaccinated UK staff told to self-isolate after close contact with someone who has Covid-19. Meaning workers could now recieve as little as £96.35 a week – the Statutory Sick Pay minimum. QUOTE OF THE DAY “We will take action to end this scandal and protect leaseholders.” – Housing secretary Michael Gove as he confirmed the Government will take “every step necessary” to ensure the building industry fixes the problem of dangerous cladding blighting thousands of leaseholders in medium rise blocks Other stories you might like [Fortunate Man United squeeze past Aston Villa in FA Cup]( [Euphoria’s provocative second season all but guarantees Zendaya another acting award]( [Two 16-year-old boys charged with murder of Dorset man]( Articles available exclusively to subscribers Simon Calder, The Independent: [The rail industry can ill-afford a spiral of decline thanks to Covid]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.