Boris Johnson faces greater pressure today to answer questions about events at the Downing Street Christmas parties in December last year. His deputy has admitted that any “formal” events would have been against Covid laws.
Dominic Raab confessed to it after Labour MPs asked that the Metropolitan Police examine two gatherings last November and December.
They are believed to have witnessed 40 to 50 people packed ‘cheek to jowl” in an inner room. One is said to include a secret Santa Claus and festive quiz.
Downing Street insists that both were bound by the Covid rules at the time. However, it has not been able to prove its claims.
Today, Mr Raab was subject to a questioning by Andrew Marr on BBC Radio 4. He tried to defend the accusations as stories “unsubstantiated from anonyme sources”.
But he eventually conceded: ‘If there is a breach of the rules, there is a breach of the rules. However, I didn’t see the whole story so I can’t give you all the facts.
“Of Course, there would be a formal gathering, but that wouldn’t mean that the party was doing something clearly in contradiction to the guidelines.
“If anyone holds a party contrary to the rules it’s wrong, that would be a bad thing.
“If unsubstantiated information from anonymous sources were to be believed, it is likely that the claim would not hold true.”
Dominic Raab confessed to it after Labour MPs asked that the Metropolitan Police examine two gatherings last November and December.
According to reports, Johnson gave a speech on November 27 at a packed leave do for senior aides
According to the allegations, the Prime Minister and No10 staff broke Covid laws hosting Christmas jamborees on November 27, and December 18, respectively.
The first Britain was under a lockdown at the time, followed by London in Tier 3 restrictions. All indoor social events were banned, unless there was a single household bubble.
According to the Guardian, Mr Johnson was reportedly at a packed leave-taking party for Cleo Watson on November 27.
The 32-year-old was one of Cummings’ protégés, but has now left No10 to write an erotic political thriller about salacious goings-on in Westminster.
The second lockdown was in effect at the time, and Britain had banned all indoor social events unless one household bubble was involved.
On December 18, Downing Street employees held their own Christmas party with a quiz and Secret Santa. London was now subject to Tier 3 rules, meaning that indoor gatherings were outlawed, and there was a rule of six for outside events.
Sources also claim that there was an additional, smaller gathering of people on November 13, the night Dominic Cummings, Prime Minister’s top advisor publicly left.
Johnson did not deny the event but stated that no rules had been broken. He has however repeatedly denied explaining how this could have happened.
Barry Gardiner (left), Labour backbencher, and Neil Coyle (right) have written to Scotland Yard asking for police to look into reports that two parties had been held during the Christmas period. This was at a time in which such gatherings were prohibited.
According to Covid law, the Prime Minister and No10 staff are charged with violating Covid rules. They hosted festive jamborees that were in violation of Covid laws. The first was on November 27, the second on December 18. Cleo Watson, an ex-aide (pictured above), was the host of a party.
Both Labour backbenchers Barry Gardiner and Neil Coyle have written to Scotland Yard, asking for police to look into whether there were any violations of laws.
The Metropolitan Police stated in a statement that it didn’t routinely examine’retrospective breaches’ of Covid regulations but was looking at the correspondence.
Labour MP, Mr. Coyle wrote to police saying: “The outrage of constituents is palpable because they followed the rules when those who devised and enforced them were breaking them at the top.”
The Prime Minister was asked about this. He replied “no Covid Rules were broken”. However, I have read the guidance and believe that even the holding of these events at that time was in violation of those rules.
Mr Gardiner expresses surprise at the fact that Commissioner Cressida was interview on LBC Friday by Dame Cressida. He said it was because she hadn’t received any correspondence.
“If such events occurred, it suggests that there are one rule to the Government and another to everyone else,” he stated.
“I think your officers should further investigate the matter to determine the facts and see if there are any violations of laws.”
Although the official spokesperson for the Prime Minister did not deny that the gathering took place last week, he stated: “At all stages of the process the rules were followed.”
Press secretary for the PM added that they did not recognize the account as Covid rules were followed throughout.