LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologized for attending a garden party during Britain's coronavirus lockdown.
Johnson is facing anger from the public and politicians over claims he and his staff flouted pandemic restrictions by socializing when it was banned.
He said Wednesday that there are things the government "did not get right."
Reports indicate that in May 2020, Martin Reynolds, Johnson's principal private secretary, emailed about 100 government employees and invited them to a "bring your own booze" event at a Downing Street garden. At the time, the U.K. was under a hard lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Johnson admitted he attended the event Wednesday, though he said that he had considered it a work event. He said he was there for about 25 minutes, according to CNN.
"I want to apologize…With hindsight, I should have sent everyone back inside," Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons.
Some members of his Conservative Party say he should resign if he can't quell the furor.
Johnson's political opponents seized on his admission.
"There we have it, after months of deceit and deception, the pathetic spectacle of a man who has run out of road," Labour Party leader Keir Starme said, according to Axios. "His defense that he didn't realize he was at a party is so ridiculous that it is actually offensive to the public."