The decision to move the party came after Johnson resigned on Thursday and it emerged the couple had planned to hold a delayed wedding at the prime minister’s country house. The Johnsons had already sent save-the-minute invitations to guests at the party at Chequers, the prime minister’s home in Buckinghamshire, at the end of the month. Plans for the wedding party at Checkers had led to accusations that Johnson was trying to delay his retirement from No 10 until that date. But this was denied by sources close to Johnson, who said he was not a factor and that the party was being moved to another venue. Hours earlier, the newly appointed education secretary, James Cleverley, told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that a new prime minister should let the couple have their wedding party at Checkers, even if Johnson had left by then. He smartly said: “I think if this is done by that time, I suspect it would be a rather generous move by the new prime minister to allow this to go ahead. “Private functions like this don’t burden the public purse … I think it’s funny to be negative about two people who want to celebrate their marriage and their love for each other.” The Johnsons married last year in a small ceremony with 30 guests due to Covid restrictions, but their spokesman said at the time that they planned to celebrate again in the summer of 2022. It is the third marriage for Johnson, who has two children with Carrie. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST The ceremony last year at Westminster Cathedral was prepared in secret and guests celebrated in the Downing Street garden, with only one official photo released. Johnson’s critics in the Conservative party – including former prime minister John Major – have urged him to go immediately and let his deputy, Dominic Raab, serve as caretaker prime minister because of his party’s lack of confidence in him. Carrie Johnson attended her husband’s resignation speech at Downing Street, holding their daughter, Romy, in a sling. Their young son, Wilf, was waiting at the entrance to No. 10.
