UK No 10 staff joked about party during lockdown restrictions

The BBC reported that a video obtained by ITV shows senior No 10 staff joking about holding a Christmas party - days after one was held there during lockdown.

It said that the the PM's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton is asked by colleagues about reports of a party, as they rehearse a news conference in December last year.

In jokey exchanges, she says: "This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced."

The BBC said that Downing Street continues to insist no party took place.

But a source previously confirmed to the BBC that a party did take place there on 18 December, with "several dozen" people in attendance.

According to the BBC, it is expected Boris Johnson will face tough questions about the party - and the video - from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions later.

Boris Johnson-UK Prime Minister/Official Facebook page

The BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, also said there was also "backbench fury" among Conservative MPs.

Senior Tory Sir Roger Gale said "the buck stops at the top", and called for Mr Johnson to give definitive answers over what happened when he appears in the Commons at 12:00 GMT.

And former chair of the Conservatives, Baroness Warsi, said every employee who was at the Christmas party should resign, "no ifs, no buts".

Asked by the BBC about the party, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "I don't know the detail of what happened.

"I know that the prime minister's spokesman answered those questions in detail and I am sure there will be further discussion of that issue, but my focus has been - as I am sure you can imagine - on foreign policy."

Pushed on why the public should follow the rules if No 10 does not, she added: "We do follow the rules on Covid."

The BBC noted that the mock news conference shown in the video took place in Downing Street on Tuesday 22 December 2020, without members of the media present.

It added that at that time, the government's coronavirus guidance specifically stated that people should not have Christmas parties - and gatherings in London of two or more people indoors were banned unless they were "reasonably necessary" for work.

A day after Ms Stratton's exchange, Mr Johnson announced that strict lockdown rules would be in place over Christmas for parts of England, meaning many could not see relatives during the festive period.

In the clip, obtained by ITV, Ms Stratton responds in a playful tone to questions from colleagues pretending to be journalists.

Special adviser to the prime minister, Ed Oldfield, asks her about reports of a party in Downing Street "on Friday night".

In reply, Ms Stratton says: "I went home" and then pauses.

After Mr Oldfield follows up to question if the prime minister would "condone" a Christmas party, Ms Stratton asks: "What's the answer?"

When another aide jokes that "it wasn't a party, it was cheese and wine", she laughs and asks "is cheese and wine all right?", adding: "This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced."

In response to the clip, No 10 said: "There was no Christmas party. Covid rules have been followed at all times."

No ministers have appeared in media interviews since the story broke, and some have cancelled visits.

Source: BBC