
Chris James, a one-time BBC newsreader turned production company chief, brought in by the Government for three months last November to ensure the smooth launch of Boris Johnson’s £2.6million media briefing room
The No. 10 investigation into the leak of the video from Christmas Party that demolished Allegra Stratton’s home and caused chaos for Prime Minister may lead to an expert in TV who was working at Downing Street during the same time. This claim is made today.
Chris James, a one-time BBC newsreader turned production company chief, was brought in by the Government for three months last November to ensure the smooth launch of Boris Johnson’s £2.6million media briefing room, it has been reported.
According to The Daily Telegraph, he may be the whistleblower or know someone who has access or leaked information the 40-second-long damning exchange from December 22 2020 that led to Miss Stratton’s tearful resignation yesterday.
The Bombshell film has had serious political consequences for the Prime Minister and cost Miss Stratton her job after she laughed when pressed by a fellow aide, Ed Oldfield, about ‘reports’ that there was a Christmas party in Downing Street the previous Friday.
The story was broken on Tuesday night by the UK editor of ITV News, Paul Brand, who in March unearthed the first pictures from inside the new 9 Downing Street media suite.
This exclusive was also brought in by a young producer Nathan Lee, who tweeted at the time: ‘EXCLUSIVE: @itvnews can reveal the new £2.6m Downing Street studio for new White House style press briefings.’ The story was also written by him on ITV News.
The Daily Telegraph reports that after graduating in 2017 he went to work for Made Television Ltd, where Chris James was the channel manager before promotion to network head of editorial. The paper reported last year that Mr James was sent to Downing Street by Allegra Ston for technical knowledge and assistance. He also helped set up the place now used for Prime Minister David Cameron’s covid press conferences.
In the three months that James spent there, he proudly posed at Number 10, and uploaded it to Instagram.
According to The Telegraph,Weak suspicions are being placed on Mr James, who is believed to be the whistleblower.
MailOnline reached out to ITN for comments, but an insider from the broadcaster stated that the leaked information was too implausible to believe Mr Lee was involved. Mister James was also approached, but he has yet to reply.

Nathan Lee is an ITN employee and has contacts to the man that was sent into No 10, to support Allegra Stratton. He also supports the production standards of the No 9 press conference room.

The Downing Street compound has been the focus of an intense investigation. Within 24 hours of its broadcast, the toxic footage led to the tearful resignation of its ‘star’ Allegra Stratton
Suspicion fell initially on Miss Stratton’s enemies in government. This former TV journalist is a respected figure in No10; many of her close aides feel she was treated unfairly by the PM when he decided to end the televised briefings which he requested that she front.
She was however a fierce foe to Dominic Cummings’ former press chief Lee Cain. They were both her ex-press chiefs, which she helped remove from office in the last year.
‘You couldn’t help but wonder whether Dom had a hand in it in some way,’ one source said. ‘He has the motive – the leak damages the PM and he loathes Allegra.
‘But he had gone by the time that video was filmed and has no real allies inside the building any more. He could have had it. It’s possible.’
The 40-second TV clip from Downing Street was never meant for public consumption – and with good reason.
The toxic video of the No. 10 staff talking about their lockdown-busting activities led to Allegra Straton’s tears as she resigned from her position.
This prompted an immediate search for the leaker. Boris Johnson might have been inspired to speed-track plans for stricter Covid restrictions by passing the film to ITV News.
Downing Street spent week denial that staff held a drunken Christmas party in December last year, with Secret Santa games, nibbles and other treats, when such gatherings were banned.
The leaked footage appeared to prove not only that the party had taken place – but suggested officials thought it was funny.
The video showed Miss Stratton holding a mock conference to prepare for her first televised daily briefing as PM’s press secretary.
Ed Oldfield is a son of a prominent Tory donor and asked his fellow adviser to comment on Twitter rumors of a party at No 10. Also, if Mr Johnson would approve of other Christmas events.
Miss Stratton, a bit flustered, laughed and stated that she ‘went home’ the night before asking: What’s your answer?
A second aide said it wasn’t a party, but only wine and cheese.
No 10 staffers in the new £2.6million briefing room then laughed as Miss Stratton tried to press on, suggesting it was a ‘business meeting’.
An intense search is underway to discover how the secret footage, which was filmed in the Downing Street compound, became the subject of a leak.
Some have accused Miss Stratton, from No 10, of giving a brutal briefing about the PM to BBC last month.

This video featured Miss Stratton in a mock press conference, her preparations for being the PM’s first press secretary. She held daily televised briefings.

No 10 staffers in the new £2.6million briefing room then laughed as Miss Stratton tried to press on, suggesting it was a ‘business meeting’
The source claimed that he was speaking on the same day as his disastrous speech to CBI. In which he discussed Peppa Pig in detail, the source explained: “It just isn’t working.” The Cabinet must wake up to demand real changes or it will only get worse. He won’t act if they refuse to insist.
Miss Stratton strenuously denies being the so-called Chatty Pig’ that briefed BBC.
Many initially believed that her leakage of the mock conference was a misguided attempt at causing her harm and forcing her to leave.
The small group of employed hands that transformed the 9 Downing Street former privy courtroom into a media room quickly attracted attention.
According to one source, the footage was deleted. Another suggested the clip might have been taken from a television monitor.
‘If you look closely, you can see there is something weird about the aspect ratio – the picture looks squashed. It isn’t from an official camera – it’s someone filming it privately, maybe off one of the monitors. This looks as if someone had just kept a copy.
Many contractors were connected to ITV News where the leak surfaced. According to another source, Miss Stratton was routinely filmed by a freelancer using his iPad.
According to the source, it was discovered that the contractor had the footage even though he was gone earlier in the year. He also added: “Allegra was very worried about it.”
Stephen Gaisford (a communications specialist from Grit), denied that the footage was leaked.
He said that he was not impressed by No. 10’s Covid rules and believed he contracted the virus there.
He said that he was happy with the video leak and added: “It opens up a wider discussion about behavior during this period, as well as the Government’s accountability to the people in this country.
“It doesn’t matter if a party was held. It is about whether the people who set the rules follow them. As I entered Downing Street’s front doors, I found people who were not wearing masks.
“I could not see any social distancing.”
According to an industry source, it is equally likely that the leak started in No 10.
‘The video footage from these sessions was sent to nine people on email – that includes No 10 press people, staff from the events team and civil servants,’ the source said. A second insider said: “We shouldn’t have built that media space. It is cursed.
Yesterday, Mr Johnson reiterated his belief that Downing Street has not broken any rules.