Downing Street have spent the week trying to play down reports of a secret No. 10 party last Christmas when the rest of the country was under restrictions. They have tried a few tactics: at Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Boris Johnson didn’t deny the event had taken place but insisted all Covid guidance had been followed. When that failed, the Prime Minister’s spokesman went on the record saying there had been no party. Then today the blame shifted to civil servants: with briefings that it was an event mainly made up of officials rather than political appointees.
Those responses are unlikely to hold much weight going forward. This evening, ITV has released footage of senior Downing Street staff joking in a practise televised press briefing about holding a Christmas party in No. 10. The conversation occurred just four days after the event is alleged to have taken place on 18 December. In the video, the then No.
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