The Treasury has been forced to defend officials holding an “impromptu” drinks party to celebrate Rishi Sunak’s autumn spending review during lockdown.
A spokesperson insisted it was a “small number” of staff who celebrated around their desks, despite reports putting the number closer to two dozen civil servants at the event.
A team of officials working on the chancellor’s spending review announcement stayed after hours for the party on 25 November last year, the Times reported.
Government sources said the drinks were not planned but the civil servants involved bought beer and wine from a nearby supermarket.
A Treasury spokesperson told the Guardian: “A number of HMT staff came into the office to work on the spending review 2020. We have been
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