Boris Johnson apologises for a party he says didn’t happen

Ava Evans

The Prime Minister says he was ‘furious’ to discover a party was held last Christmas in his own home

Boris Johnson has denied allegations a party was held in Downing Street last year, while London was under strict Tier 3 Covid restrictions.

Leaked footage published by ITV News on Tuesday night showed No.10 staff laughing in a press briefing rehearsal about a Christmas party alleged to have been held in Downing Street in 2020.

The Prime Minister opened PMQs by apologising unreservedly for the impression given by the clip.

Alleging he had no knowledge of the exchange prior to last night, Johnson said he shares the anger of people around the country and that he was “furious to see that clip”.

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The PM claimed he has been repeatedly reassured, since the clip emerged, that there was no party and no rules were broken.

However, if rules were broken, there will be a disciplinary investigation.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Johnson of taking the public for fools.

“Ant and Dec are ahead of the prime minister on this,” Sir Keir said, criticising the PM for purporting having no knowledge of the clip, which featured his personal spokeswoman, Allegra Stratton, before last night.

The SNP’s Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford, called for Johnson’s resignation, asking the House, “is this the man to lead these islands?”

Dominic Cummings, tweeting during PMQs, shed light on new allegations of illegal parties taking place in Downing Street.

He wrote: “Will the CABSEC (Cabinet Secretary) also be asked to investigate the flat party on Friday 13 Nov, the other flat parties & the flat’s ‘bubble’ policy…?”

Will the CABSEC also be asked to investigate the *flat* party on Fri 13 Nov, the other flat parties, & the flat's 'bubble' policy…?

— Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) December 8, 2021

The Prime Minister has said the party, if there was one at all, was held by Downing Street staff, suggesting he was not personally in attendance, if there had been a party at all.

On Wednesday morning, Health Secretary Sajid Javid pulled out of his planned broadcast interviews on the BBC, following mounting public outrage over the engulfing Christmas party scandal.