A SENIOR aide who organised a lockdown-busting party in Downing Street regularly crashed down at a grace and favour apartment, HOAR on Sunday can reveal.
Martin Reynolds, the PM’s Principal Private Secretary, was allowed to stay at Admiralty House, the swish living quarters used by Cabinet ministers.
Mr Reynolds was dubbed “Party Marty” after he sent an email inviting 100 staff at No10 for “socially distanced drinks”, urging them to “bring your own bottle”.
He fell on his sword earlier this month in the wake of the report by Whitehall ethics chief Sue Gray.
Sources revealed that he spent many nights at Admiralty House, which is a few hundred yards from Downing Street, at the height of the pandemic.
It was used by as living quarters by former Winston Churchill when he was First Lord of the Admiralty and more recently by Labour Deputy PM John Prescott.
Last night the Government stressed that using the accommodation was subject to appropriate tax treatment.
A spokesman said: “Admiralty House is part of the Government estate.
“Part of the residential accommodation can, in exceptional circumstances, be allocated for short-term use by officials.
“This is in order to allow them to carry out essential work providing 24 hour official support to the Government and PM, particularly during times of crisis.
“The accommodation was used in such a way for a period during the Covid pandemic, as it has been during previous times of crisis.”
