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Reaction as ‘smoking gun’ footage leaves Downing Street Christmas party claims in tatters

"On the day you partied, my mother called me, breathless and feverish. I didn’t visit. On the day you joked, she was admitted to hospital. I didn’t visit. As you celebrated Christmas, she died without family by her side. I promise you, it wasn’t funny."

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-12-07 20:34
in Politics
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Social media has been alive with reaction after leaked footage left Downing Street claims that there was no Christmas party in tatters.

A video obtained by ITV News shows Boris Johnson’s then press secretary Allegra Stratton being quizzed by special adviser Ed Oldfield on whether they had a party on the night of 18th December.

Mr Oldfield asked her: “I’ve just seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night, do you recognise those reports?”

Ms Stratton replied “I went home” before appearing to consider what the correct answer should be.

During the rehearsal, filmed as part of a subsequently-abandoned plan for Ms Stratton to lead televised press briefings, Mr Oldfield pressed her for an answer.

“Would the Prime Minister condone having a Christmas party?” he asked.

Ms Stratton asked “what’s the answer” and staff in the press room appeared to suggest ideas, with one saying “it wasn’t a party, it was cheese and wine”.

“Is cheese and wine alright? It was a business meeting,” Ms Stratton replied, to laughter in the room.

Ms Stratton then noted “this is recorded”, adding: “This fictional party was a business meeting … and it was not socially distanced.”

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The leaked footage was shot in the media room at 9 Downing Street, which was refurbished at a cost of £2.6 million in preparation for the televised broadcasts before the plan was ditched.

Here’s a pick of the reaction so far:

https://twitter.com/tompeck/status/1468286282275201038?s=20
https://twitter.com/trishgreenhalgh/status/1468299604865208325?s=20

Well this is a smoking gun.

In a practice session for Allegra Stratton to hold No10 briefings… a No10 insider asks about the Christmas party. They joke about how they should answer that question, with her saying there was definitely no social distancing. https://t.co/JblMRNw9XW

— Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) December 7, 2021

That video. You always get the sense they're laughing at you. It's rare that you actually watch them do it.

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) December 7, 2021

You didn’t see your parents for Christmas last year.

Downing Street scumbags were busy laughing about their Christmas parties. https://t.co/VAB8XlOlpH

— Oli Dugmore (@OliDugmore) December 7, 2021

Literally joking about having a Christmas pissup in No. 10 while people couldn’t even hold the hands of their loved ones as they died in hospital wards https://t.co/xKqDWwLLST

— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) December 7, 2021

I'm the social media manager of Best for Britain. I don't often use my own voice.

But 5 days after the #downingstreetparty someone I loved passed away in hospital. We weren't with her because of Covid rules. I didn't get to say my final goodbye. I am angry. I'm hurt. I'm tired. https://t.co/wdp6OI4IXV

— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) December 7, 2021

I am fairly sure, if one of the 489 people who died that day in UK was a member of your family and you were told that you couldn’t be with them, you'd find this much less amusing than Downing Street does.

Shameful. #downingstreetparty pic.twitter.com/7GKN0GhgtR

— Deirdre Heenan (@deirdreheenan) December 7, 2021

Related: Tories on track to lose 77 seats in next election – Electoral Calculus

Tags: ChristmasDowning Street

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← Watch: Leaked footage shows Downing Street staff joking about Xmas party on 18th December last year ← “We’re f*****”: Government ministers pulled from media rounds as Tory Party considers next move
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