Oliver Dowden suggested office workers were free to enjoy slap-up lunches in a Tier 2 and 3 loophole – despite No10 saying the exemption should only be used when needed most

A Cabinet minister has sown fresh confusion over lockdown rules after he said people CAN use a ‘working lunch’ loophole – despite Downing Street urging them not to.

Oliver Dowden suggested office workers in Tiers 2 and 3 could enjoy slap-up business lunches in a pub or restaurant – despite indoor gatherings between different households being banned.

That is because the law has an exemption for any gathering “reasonably necessary for work purposes”.

Mr Dowden told ITV: “Work includes business functions and that’s why the definition has been extended to cover that, of course.”

Yet the Culture Secretary – who is in charge of the entertainment industry – appeared to be contradicting 10 Downing Street.

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman has twice emphasised that, while the ‘working lunch’ loophole does legally exist, it should only be used in specific circumstances.