A minister has stepped in to defend the prime minister from allegations he broke strict lockdown rules – by claiming he was ‘ambushed with a cake’.

Conor Burns didn’t prompt too much confidence in the prime minister’s tactical savvy when he claimed he was taken by surprise by the baked birthday treat, and presumably then unable to escape it.

He played down claims that up to 30 people including the designer renovating Boris Johnson’s flat gathered inside and sang Happy Birthday, claiming that it was not a ‘premeditated’ party.

The Northern Ireland minister, who was not present, told Channel 4’s Cathy Newman: ‘As far as I can see, he was, in a sense, ambushed with a cake.’

Last night, ITV reported that Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie Johnson had organised a surprise ‘birthday bash’ in the Cabinet Room for him along with a Union Jack themed cake and party food from Marks and Spencer.

Mr Burns insisted it ‘was not a premeditated, organised party in that sense, that the prime minister himself decided to have sent out …

Ms Newman interjected to say ‘Well, invites were sent out.’

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He responded: ‘Well, as far as I can see, he was in a sense, ambushed with a cake.’

After being told that the defence sounded ‘farcical’, Mr Burns said: ‘He’s our leader. I support him. I want him to continue as prime minister.’

He insisted that most people would not characterise the gathering as a party.

But many shared their own experiences online today, pointing out they had nothing even resembling a normal celebration for their own birthdays – or their children’s.

Some parents posted photos of how their kids served cake to a room of teddy bears in lieu of being able to invite their friends to come round.

And others described having to go to the toilet in a bush or a bucket to avoid breaking the rules by going inside a friend or relative’s house to the loo.

Infection doctor Neil Stone tweeted: ‘I literally cancelled my young kid’s birthday party during lockdown. Two years in a row. My son took it well. Seems he was more responsible than the prime minister.’

Others had more questions…

Downing Street say this is untrue and the gathering of a small number of family members took place outside.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was understood to have briefly attended the earlier gathering, as he entered the room to attend a Covid strategy meeting.

Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson’s under-fire principal private secretary, was also said to have attended, as was No 10’s director of communications Jack Doyle and head of operations Shelley Williams-Walker.

At the time, lockdown rules had just relaxed but only to allow gatherings of up to six people to take place outside.

A report by Sue Gray into a string of allegations of rule-breaking gatherings and parties in Downing Street is due to be published, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

This evening, it was reported that she had been handed photos as part of her investigation including one image of ‘Boris Johnson and others close together with wine bottles’, according to Sky News.

It was feared that a Metropolitan Police investigation into the claims could delay its publication, but both police and Ms Gray have said they have no objection to its publication.

The Prime Minister said he welcomed Scotland Yard’s investigation and hoped officers would ‘help to draw a line under matters’.

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