Our family couldn't grieve properly yet Downing Street held a party, says Dumfries and Galloway Council leader
dailyrecord.co.ukThe furious leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council has revealed how her family were prevented from properly grieving during lockdown – while another Downing Street party was underway.Dr Elaine Murray’s mother died in May 2020 and only a handful of relatives were allowed to attend the funeral in Dumfries due to strict social distancing and gathering rules.Despite their grief, Councillor Murray also decided against having her three adult children in their garden for lunch after the funeral service.Meanwhile, in Downing Street on May 20, 2020, over 100 staff were invited to a drinks party in the Number 10 garden to “make the most of the lovely weather”.Councillor Murray said: “My mother was buried in May 2020 and we could only have five people at the crematorium.“My sister and nieces were unable to attend."Our adult children don’t live in Dumfries.
One is in Airdrie, one in East Lothian, and the other is in Kelloholm.“So I contacted the local police to see if it was permissible to have people in the garden after the funeral for a spot of lunch.“They basically came back and said they wouldn’t prosecute me for it, but it wasn’t permissible to do that.“I felt it was important – as someone in an elected position and a leadership position – that I stood by the rules.”Councillor Murray’s mother had been a resident at Lochduhar Care Home in Dumfries, although she did not die from Covid-19.At this point in the pandemic, much about the virus was unknown and the strict nationwide lockdown rules banned people from meeting with more than one person from another household.The second scandal about a lockdown drinks party at Downing Street came after an email invite was leaked to the media.
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