Underground parties in winter 2020: all you need to know about the controversy embarrassing the Johnson government – teller report

“Do what I say, but not what I do”. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under fire on Wednesday after a video appeared where his top advisers joked about hosting a Christmas party in Downing Street in 2020, when rallies were banned due to of Covid-19. According to national media, other parties were also organized this month by the government.

“I apologize wholeheartedly for the printing” What does this case give, he said on Wednesday during the weekly question-and-answer session in Parliament, the day after the publication of this video. The Prime Minister also said “mad”, claiming that he had “been insured several times” since the beginning of this affair that“there had been no party” and that’“no rule” had not been violated. He announced the opening of an internal investigation. “It goes without saying that if the rules have been broken there will be disciplinary action”, he added.

Following the filing of a complaint from Labor deputies to the Metropolitan Police of Greater London, Scotland Yard also clarified, Saturday, December 4, that if the police had not “not in the habit of looking back at all possible violations of anti-Covid-19 regulations”, she was going anyway “take into consideration” these complaints and review the video in question.

Video obtained by ITV News shows Allegra Stratton, her press secretary at the time, Councilor Ed Oldfied as well as another collaborator joking about“a Christmas party in Downing Street on Friday night”, or probably Friday, December 18. The footage was reportedly filmed as part of preparations for a December 22 press conference. No journalist was present at the time.

During this rehearsal with Allegra Stratton on December 22, Ed Oldfield, who takes on the role of an imaginary journalist, asks her: “I just saw accusations on Twitter about a Christmas party that allegedly took place in Downing Street on Friday night, do you acknowledge those accusations?” “I had gone home”she jokes, trying to dodge the question.

“Would the Prime Minister approve of organizing a Christmas party?”, then revives Ed Oldfiel. And Allegra Stratton retorts: “What is the answer ?”. His interlocutor replies when he does not know, while another Downing Street collaborator bursts out laughing that“there was no party … just cheese and wine”. “Are cheese and wine okay? It was a business meeting”, added Allegra Stratton. “This imaginary party was a business meeting … without social distancing”, she continues, laughing.

At the time, London was under strict restrictions due to the health crisis and indoor gatherings of two or more people were prohibited.

Before this video was leaked, charges had already been laid speak Daily Mirror November 30. Citing government sources, the British daily claims that “between 40 and 50 people were crammed cheek to cheek in a medium sized room ” December 18. The BBC, which also obtained confirmation of this celebration, specifies that there was “drinks, food, and games”, including a quiz and a Secret Santa, and that the party lasted “until after midnight”.

Leader of the Labor Party (opposition) Keir Starmer condemned the government for its behavior “shameful”. “People across the country were following the guidelines even when they were separated from their loved ones. They have a right to expect the government to do the same.”, he tweeted. “Lying and joking about these lies is shameful. We have a Prime Minister who has socially distanced himself from the truth.”, he hammered.

Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford felt the Prime Minister was no longer trustworthy and demanded his resignation. the “government violates its own Covid rules and then jokes in a video about it”, he said on the STV News TV show. “This is really not acceptable and I have to say, unfortunately, that based on this behavior (…) he should go, and he should go now”, he added.

The government must “answer serious questions. And quickly”, tweeted Conservative MP Roger Gale.

For its part, an association bringing together families who lost loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic denounced “the behavior of people who think they are above us”. “There are no words to describe how upsetting and shameful it is to hear Boris Johnson’s team joking about breaking the rules they have laid down, while others (…) could only say goodbye to their loved ones through a screen “, deplores the association in a press release.

According to Daily Mirror, other parties had been organized in Downing Street when the country had to respect strict sanitary measures. One of them would have taken place in Downing Street on November 13, the day of the resignation of the former special adviser to Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings.

Tuesday, the diary also revealed that a reception was hosted on December 10 by former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson at his ministry café. “There were a lot of people gathered in the cafe, mingling and drinking wine. It was so reckless.”, reports an anonymous source to Daily Mirror. In response to this article, the ministry did not deny that sanitary rules had been broken and admitted “that it would have been better” not to organize the event. That same day, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the British should “respect the rules”.