Following fresh evidence suggesting that No10 staff had held a Christmas party last year during lockdown, memes praising Boris Johnson were once more flooding social media.
Users on Twitter tried to see the humorous side of things as they suggested the scenes from Downing Street last Winter.
While Mr Johnson was likened to Mr Blobby and Pinocchio, others pointed out that no minister from the government was available for radio interviews this morning to address the issue.
Footage last night emerged of Downing Street aides joking about branding their own Christmas party as a ‘business meeting’ to hide the fact it broke Covid laws.
A newly surfaced video shows No10 special advisors taking part in a fake press conference just days after the alleged December 18 event last year which has raised legal questions and denials of wrongdoing from No10.
ITV news discovered the clip. It shows Allegra Straton (then the PM’s press secretary) and Ed Oldfield (No10’s head for digital), rehearsing in No9’s briefing room a question-and-answer session.
Oldfield poses a question in it about a Downing Street Christmas party that took place on Friday night. Ms Stratton responds with a joking, “I went home.”
When he questions Ms. Stratton if she would condone the party, Ms. Stratton seems unsure and asks: ‘What’s your answer?
A third voice could be heard saying “it wasn’t a celebration, it was wine and cheese”, before Ms. Stratton said: “It was a business gathering… this imaginary party was a business conference and was not socially detached.”
Boris Johnson, who had previously refused to answer questions on the gathering’s details, was finally allowed to release the footage. There were questions over whether or not it violated any social distancing rules that were in effect at the time.
Metropolitan Police stated that they were aware of the footage, and are considering an investigation into the allegations of Covid-19 violations in government buildings.
When asked yesterday about it, Johnson said only that all rules had been observed at the time. The other ministers were unable to verify if there was a party.
Sir Keir Sterner responded to the video of Downing St aides laughing at the party by saying Boris Johnson must ‘come straight and apologize’.
The Labour leader 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 could expect that the government would do the same.”
It is shameful to lie, and then laugh about it. It is time for the Prime Minister to be honest and to apologize.
“It cannot be one thing for Conservatives and another person for anyone else.”
In response to the footage, a Downing Street spokesman said: ‘There was no Christmas party. Covid rules are always followed.
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.
At the time, parties were prohibited under Covid restrictions. While Johnson denied or confirmed reports that Downing Street staff members held a party in London on December 18, 2012, when London was subject to Tier 3 restrictions, he insists that the rules weren’t broken.