ABBA have responded to reports that their music was played during one of the alleged lockdown-flouting parties that was held at 10 Downing Street in 2020.
One of the 12 alleged gatherings which were the subject of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s recent report – and are now under police investigation – reportedly took place on November 13, 2020 following the departure of Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s controversial aide Dominic Cummings.
Sky News reports that a “victory party” was allegedly held in Johnson’s flat on that date by friends of his now-wife Carrie Johnson, during which a number of ABBA tracks, including the 1980 single ‘The Winner Takes It All’, were played. Cummings also claimed last week that there would be “witnesses who say ‘we could all hear a party with ABBA playing’”.
Both Boris and Carrie Johnson have denied the claims, while Downing Street said in a statement last week that the PM would “ask Sue Gray to update her work in light of what is found” by the Metropolitan Police when they have concluded their inquiries.
In a new interview with PA (via i News), ABBA’s Benny Andersson has now given his reaction to the reports that his band’s music was apparently played at the alleged party.
“You can’t call it an ABBA party,” he said. “It is a Johnson party where they happened to play some ABBA music. It is not an ABBA party.
“You see how [Johnson] wriggles himself out of this.”
ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus added: “I mean, wow. Did they only play ABBA music? Are you kidding? Of course they played other music as well.”
Last month ABBA settled their lawsuit against the UK tribute act ABBA MANIA over trademark infringement.