• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Watch: Leaked footage shows Downing Street staff joking about Xmas party on 18th December last year

"No 10 has spent the past week denying any rules were broken. This new evidence calls that into question," Paul Brand said.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-12-07 20:02
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Senior aides to Boris Johnson joked about a Downing Street Christmas party just days after staff are alleged to have held a festive gathering in breach of lockdown rules.

The Prime Minister’s then press secretary Allegra Stratton and adviser Ed Oldfield, along with other aides, were filmed joking about a “fictional” party in December 2020.

On Tuesday, Downing Street again insisted there was no Christmas party and coronavirus rules had been followed at all times.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Mr Johnson to “come clean and apologise”, adding that for aides “to lie and to laugh about those lies is shameful”.

The footage obtained by ITV News showed Ms Stratton answering questions at a mock press conference on December 22 about a Downing Street Christmas party the previous Friday – the date of the alleged rule-breaking gathering.

EXCLUSIVE: Video obtained by ITV News shows Downing Street staff joking about a Christmas party on 18th December last year.

No 10 has spent the past week denying any rules were broken. This new evidence calls that into question. pic.twitter.com/nKYK0tG0dQ

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) December 7, 2021

Rehearsal

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.

RelatedPosts

Jeremy Vine caller bemoans Tories – but says she’ll vote for them ‘just to keep Labour out’

Raab fancied to exit cabinet before Zahawi

Spirit of Thatcherism can help level up the North, says Gove

Man arrested on suspicion of assaulting Matt Hancock on London Underground

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.”

Leaked footage

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.

In response to ITV’s report, a Downing Street spokesman said: “There was no Christmas party. Covid rules have been followed at all times.”

Earlier, Mr Johnson declined to repeat the claim from Downing Street that staff did not hold a Christmas party in No 10 during Covid restrictions.

The Prime Minister instead insisted no rules were broken as the Times reported that staff wore festive jumpers and were asked to bring “secret Santa” gifts.

They were reported to have brought alcohol and food to the event said to have been attended by dozens of colleagues on December 18 last year when London was in Tier 3 restrictions banning social mixing indoors.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman has insisted “there was not a party” but the Prime Minister declined to characterise the event during a visit to a prison in London on Tuesday.

“What I can tell you is that all the guidelines were observed, continue to be observed,” he told reporters.

“Our position has not changed”

Asked if he investigated personally, Mr Johnson said: “I am satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said “our position has not changed” following Mr Johnson’s comments.

Ministers are yet to explain how the alleged bash complied with the rules in place at the time, despite coming under pressure since an initial report in the Daily Mirror.

The newspaper said two events took place in No 10 in the run-up to the festive season last year, including Mr Johnson giving a speech at a leaving do during November’s lockdown.

The other was said to be a staff party in December where party games were played, food and drinks were served, and revelries went on past midnight.

At the time, the Tier 3 rules explicitly banned work Christmas lunches and parties where it is “a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “People across the country followed the rules even when that meant being separated from their families, locked down and – tragically for many – unable to say goodbye to their loved ones.

“They had a right to expect that the Government was doing the same. To lie and to laugh about those lies is shameful.

“The Prime Minister now needs to come clean and apologise. It cannot be one rule for the Conservatives and another for everyone else.”

Reaction

I spent that Christmas alone in the flat, having Christmas lunch with the old dears on Zoom. No.10 can absolutely get to fuck.

— 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

While hundreds of people were dying from COVID and families were forced to contemplate a Christmas apart from one another, they were laughing about their piss-up…https://t.co/XI3HJbiXRf

— Sam Bright (@WritesBright) December 7, 2021

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

Tags: ChristmasDowning Streetheadline

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Five reasons to go skiing in Iceland

Porsche driver who fitted car with ‘laser jammer’ to stop police speed guns fined £5,000

Ministry of Truth confirm 100 million attend President’s inauguration

Sajid Javid slammed for claiming he was off to open one of new 48 hospitals

Keir Starmer’s impressive CV will have the Tories running scared

Sewagegate: Reactions as Tories increase poll lead despite beaches covered in…

1 in 8 MPs employ a family member using taxpayer cash

Unlocked: Film Review

10 Reasons why the World is F*cked.

Sending Tories a message? Voter registrations jump ahead of May elections

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.