Boris Johnson’s ‘bring your own booze’ aide Martin Reynolds set for Saudi Arabia Ambassador post

A former No10 official who organized the notorious lockdown-busting ‘bring your own booze’ Downing Street garden party could end up as Ambassador to Saudi Arabiait was claimed last night.

The Prime Minister’s former principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, who earned the nickname ‘Party Marty’, was said to be increasingly likely to take up the Riyadh position.

Mr Reynolds – a former ambassador to Libya – quit No10 in February as part of a clear-out of senior aides in the wake of the Partygate scandal.

Sky News said the Foreign Office recruitment process for the Riyadh role was still under way and no formal appointment had been made.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson with his principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds (left) in July 2016

But sources told the broadcaster that Mr Reynolds was ultimately expected to end up being appointed.

Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia and the penalties for the possession of, or trade in booze are severe – resulting in prison sentences.

In an email to 100 staff, Mr Reynolds invited officials ‘to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks’ and urged them to ‘bring your own booze’.

In January, Boris Johnson apologised for briefly attending the event on May 20, 2020.

The Metropolitan Police were last month reported to have begun issuing fines to those who attended the event.